7-year old Hong Kong-based Wicked Lasers faces legal action if not willing to cease and desist producing the new and high-powered laser that resembles “Star Wars” light saber sword fabrication a little too much.
In a letter to Wicked Lasers last month, Lucas claims that “it is apparent from the design of the Pro Artic Laser that it was intended to resemble the hilts of our light saber swords, which are protected by copyright,” and insists on a change in the laser’s design or a complete halt to its production.
The letter calls the company’s newest laser “a highly dangerous product with the potential to cause blindness, burns and other damage to people and/or property.”
Steve Liu, CEO of Wicked Lasers, responded to the threat of legal action by pointing out that the company previously sold similar lasers for the past seven years without a single reference to the fabricated weapon wielded by “Star Wars” characters.
The company claims that the gadget running $199 is just that, a gadget. The design of the new laser is fairly typical for any handheld laser and the company insists that it is not a copy of the light saber.
While marketing of the laser is aimed primarily at industrial, military, and research customers with no comparison to the term ‘light saber,’ tech blogs aimed at domestic consumers have frequently made such a comparison with one called Gizmodo calling it “a real life light saber,” and the Daily Tech blog calling it “perhaps the first consumer laser weapon.” This has only served to fuel Lucasfilm Ltd.’s accusatory stance against the laser.
“These references make it clear that the public is being led to believe that the Pro Arctic Laser is an official light saber device and/or copied from our design,” the Lucasfilm letter said.
Despite the threat of legal action from Lucasfilms, Wicked has not stopped selling the laser or taken any steps towards changing the design of the laser. The letter asked for written assurance of changes within five business days or threatened “the initiation of legal proceedings without further notice to you.”
Liu remains optimistic, hoping that it doesn’t come to that conclusion.
“Personally, they’re some of my favorite movies,” he said.