Are Lightsaber Designs Copyrighted?

Almost everyone loves to watch a Sci-fi movie but have you ever wondered how much effort it takes to film those scenes and edit them? Especially when it comes to the unique props used in the entire film, there is a lot of effort involved in designing and making them. From dragons, and flying broomsticks to lightsabers and magic wands, without these props, movies like ‘The Harry Potter Series, ‘The Star Wars Series’ and the ‘Game Of Thrones Series’ would not have been as popular and successful as they are today.

A lightsaber was first introduced in the ‘Star Wars Franchise.’ This unique creation was an instant hit among fans. From children to adults, people of all ages began to be fascinated with the lightsabers and wished they had them. This increasing popularity led various toy-making companies worldwide to copy this idea, but little did they know about its copyright issues. Now the question comes, are lightsaber designs copyrighted? Do you need some permission to make them? There is much to tell about lightsabers besides trademarks and copyright issues.

What Is A Lightsaber?

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For those who don’t know what a Lightsaber is or know it by a different name, it is an artificial sword with fictional energy that gets portrayed in the movies as a deadly weapon used by characters for defense. This fictional sword is so special because its blade is luminous, which is why it has been depicted as a luminous plasma in the ‘Star Wars’ series.

Generally, the Lightsaber is recognized by the fans as a laser sword that includes a 3-feet tall blade that is luminous and way different and deadening from an ordinary metal sword, and gets its powers or energy, as you say it, from a kyber crystal. This sword is indeed a weapon from the future and was ideally designed to fit into the unique plot of the ‘Star Wars series. If you wish to own a laser sword, you can visit ziasabers.com  to discover the coolest lightsabers.

Lightsaber And Star Wars

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The famous American filmmaker George Lucas came up with the unique idea and design of the Lightsaber for his space-age Arthurian epic Star Wars. Another person who owns all the credits for the incredible sound design for these laser swords was Ben Burtt. These two creative minds gave ‘Star Wars’ its specialty and made intergalactic battles more interesting.

Ever since the emergence of ‘Star Wars’ in 1977, people have witnessed a world beyond imagination, a world where the galaxies are at war, and the characters are no less than fierce warriors trying their best to save their galaxies and people. This overview of space, life, battle in space, and the technology beyond everyone’s imagination has made Lucas’s epic a masterpiece and a super hit. But, lightsabers have always been the stealer of the show, both in the plot and among fans.

Star Wars has been one of the most incredible science-fiction series ever, from spaceships and aliens to lightsaber battles. Today, numerous companies manufacture lightsabers for sport and fun, and they are becoming extremely popular with time.

Are They Copyrighted?

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Lately, there has been a lot of controversy circling the copyright of lightsabers. Many are concerned if lightsaber designs are copyrighted and whether they can use these designs to make their laser swords. Some are even concerned that they can use this term in their novels or blogs because of copyright issues. To answer that, lightsabers are protected by copyright and are a trademark of the Star Wars franchise. This trademark is legally protected, and anyone failing to abide by this law may have to come across legal troubles.

Experts suggest using the term lightsaber or the idea and even the design with the permission of their owners. You must go through the copyright terms and conditions if you want to because it is a legal entity. In general, a lightsaber is copyrighted by Lucasfilm Ltd., and anyone violating their copyright laws may get them in trouble.

Back in the year 2010, there was a case where the copyright of the Star Wars franchise was violated. The company had to send a cease-and-desist letter to a Hong Kong-based company called Wicked Laser because they were manufacturing laser swords known as the Pro Arctic, which was very similar to a lightsaber. The intention of the Hong Kong-based company was quite clear; it intended to copy the design and violate the laws. Although this company did not call their product by a similar name during their marketing campaigns, it was evident that the idea of the Pro Arctic was copied.

Will You Get Into Trouble If You Copied The Design?

In this competitive market, copying has become common to survive in markets. And that is how we get substitutes for all the products. You cannot say that the whole product is copy-pasted; in most cases, the idea has been copied. You surely can take up the Star Wars franchise idea if inspired by it and use it in your own ways; however, to use it independently, it will be wise to abide by copyright rules and pay all the credits to the owner.

If you want to use it for your business, using Lightsaber without considering its copyright, either the idea or the term can be a poor decision; hence, to avoid troubles and future hassles, giving credit is the best decision.

Final Words

One of the greatest movie franchises, Star Wars, has held an important position in the history of American films. It is still one of the most famous science fiction movies and the most successful ones. Apart from the plot and its enticing characters, there is another thing that has brought a lot of popularity to the Arthurian epic: the unique creation of George Lucas. This luminous laser sword has been an integral part of intergalactic wars in the series.

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