Lucasfilm is Suing “Star Wash”- a Chilean ‘Star Wars’ Themed Car Wash
Lucasfilm is suing a family-owned carwash located on the outskirts of the Chilean capital Santiago for plagiarizing its Star Wars intellectual property.
“Star Wash” has gained attention on social media for posts showing attendants dressed as Chewbacca and Stormtroopers wiping down cars.
Even bounty the feared bounty hunter Boba Fett or the heroic Cassian Andor could be seen in the videos wielding hoses in place of blasters. Darth Vader also appeared, using The Force to draw cleaning clothes to him.
Lucasfilm Strikes Back
When owner Matias Jara went to register his intergalactic carwash with the Chilean patent authority, however, he received a lawsuit from Lucasfilm.
According to Jara’s lawyers, the production studio wants to block the registration of the name, arguing that the brand could be confused as being affiliated with them. Lucasfilm has not, however, raised issue with the in-costume attendants.
Jara is contesting the suit, arguing that the name is sufficiently different from the movie franchise to avoid confusion. Additionally, the carwash owner says that Lucasfilm’s copyright covers products like toys, furniture, and beverages, but does not extend to cleaning cars.
“Of course this lawsuit is affecting us. We’re a small business and we’re spending on things we hadn’t budgeted for,” Jara said in an interview.
How The Name Came About
According to Jara, his young daughter thought of the catchy “Star Wash” name while on a family trip to Disney’s theme parks in the United States.
“We don’t make movies or sell their products or anything like that,” Jara added. He did note, however, that his business was a “stellar” car wash.
At this time, Lucasfilm has declined to comment.
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