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Porn Parody Producers Sue George Lucas

Makers Of Animated 'Star Wars' Spoof Claim Slander

The makers of the "Star Wars" animated pornographic parody "Starballz" are striking back.

According to E! online, Media Market Group filed a $140 million lawsuit Monday in New York State Supreme Court against "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' company Lucasfilm, claiming slander.

MMG's suit stems from a suit filed by Lucas last October, when the filmmaker tried to block the distribution of the video. He claimed in the suit that the spoof could confuse people into believing that his company either produced or sponsored it.

In January, an Oakland, Calif., judge ruled that since it was a parody, the makers of the video were protected by the First Amendment.

MMG's slander suit points specifically to a January statement released by Lucasfilm publicist Lynne Hale during the course of Lucas' lawsuit against the company, according to E!

"This is a pornographic cartoon utilizing Star Wars intellectual property," Hale said in the statement. "We feel strongly that the law does not allow for parody to be a defense to a pornographic use of someone else's intellectual property, especially when that use is directed to children."

As a result, Lucasfilm claimed that the parody potentially damaged the sales of "Star Wars"-related merchandise, thus costing the filmmaker millions of dollars in revenue.

In court papers filed Monday, MMG said it "has never directed pornography to children; the cover of Starballz states 'Adult Only' in three places."

The suit comes just as Lucas prepares his second "Star Wars" trilogy prequel "Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" for theaters in May. The first prequel "Episode One -- The Phantom Menace," became a blockbuster hit in 1999.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2002