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The Force is Strong With This One: The British prop designer who crafted the original Stormtrooper costumes for Star Wars, based on George Lucas’ own sketches, managed to defeat Lucasfilm in the UK Supreme Court and win the right produce replica outfits. His attorneys at Fox Williams LLP managed to successfully argue that the costumes were functional works rather than artistic ones, and therefore not subject to full UK copyright laws. However, the UK Court also ruled that the 2004 US decision that held him in violation of Lucas’ copyright also stands. So right now the prop designer is free to sell replicas in England but facing a $20m verdict if he ever returns to the US. Considering the bounty hunter Lucas’ been known to affiliate with, the prop designer should watch his back.
