Using places and characters from Star Wars

[jplumey]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

So I'm reading a children's educational application for mobile devices which presents words for children to practice their reading and I th ought it would be nice to include some famous character names such as "Darth Vader" and "Luke Skywalker", etc.

I don't intend to use any images or to write any stories. Just the names of places and people on a list.

How do I describe this situation when making a request to Lucasfilm licensing (which has not responded in over three months, btw.)? Or do I even need to get a license to do this? Will some other kind of written permission apply?

Thanks in advance!

 

[xylene]

Unless your proposal for licensing includes a substantial payment to Lucasfilms Ltd. upfront, and residuals... they will NEVER consider it.

Whatever you have submitted, you have no choice but to take the lack of response as a NO.

You certainly do need their permission to use these characters.

You have no basis for a fair use claim to use their intellectual property in your product.

If you include any references in your product to names and places, or anything in the Star Wars lexicon, expect to be sued, and expect to lose.

If you intend to include references to fictional literary characters be sure you use ONLY characters who are in the public domain or are duly licensed by you.

 

[jplumey]

Thanks for the cheerful post!

I figured as much. It's hard to imagine that they would want so much when the benefit to me is so little. I'm talking about using maybe 30 words from the overall Star Wars saga. I might sell 300 copies at a buck a piece. It's not like people are going to buy my software just because one list of words has Star Wars characters in it.

Oh well. I wonder what the Pokemon licensing looks like. Probably the same.

 

[xylene]

Thanks for the cheerful post!

I figured as much. It's hard to imagine that they would want so much when the benefit to me is so little. I'm talking about using maybe 30 words from the overall Star Wars saga. I might sell 300 copies at a buck a piece. It's not like people are going to buy my software just because one list of words has Star Wars characters in it.

Oh well. I wonder what the Pokemon licensing looks like. Probably the same.

You're welcome. I appreciate helping out.

Lucasfilm Ltd. and just about any other company whose intellectual property alone forms the core of their assets are not going to risk diluting their brand equity on anything less than top tier products that will net millions for them.

They, and companies like them, have a vested interest in retaining tight control over their creations and brands that are worth billions.

This isn't a polemic about the value of corporations. This is advice for someone contemplating a business venutre.

Unless your venture is going to be worth big money, big money creative like Star Wars (Lucasfilm), toy story (Dreamworks), Pokemon (Nintendo) won't care to risk their brands worth.

 

[jplumey]

I never really looked at it that way, but if the shoe were on my foot, I would probably feel the same. I guess that's sort of why these brands are so against fan fiction as well.

I'm just going to assume they're answer is no. Now...if my product sells and becomes the basis for a complete line of top of the line educational software, then I might be in a position to gain their interest. Hey, I can dream right? Last I checked, this still is the land of opportunity!

Thanks again!