NEW YORK (AP) - The producer of an animated pornographic movie has filed a $140 million lawsuit accusing "Star Wars" creator George Lucas of libel.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court, alleges that a spokeswoman for Lucas accused the producer of "Starballz" of creating pornographic cartoons aimed at children.
"Starballz" is an explicit sex parody of outer space adventure movies.
Media Market Group, the movie's producer, says the film is intended for adults only and will not be distributed to children.
The MMG lawsuit follows unsuccessful legal action by Lucas in California in January. A federal judge in Oakland threw out a lawsuit in which Lucas alleged that "Starballz" used intellectual property from "Star Wars" without authorization and in an offensive manner.
The hero of "Starballz" travels the galaxy looking for sex. The movie has characters with risque names that might remind "Star Wars" series fans of characters from the Lucas films.
A statement by Lucas spokeswoman Lynne Hale at the time said in part: "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."
In court papers filed this week, MMG says the company "has never directed pornography to children; the cover of 'Starballz' states 'Adult Only' in three places."
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The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court, alleges that a spokeswoman for Lucas accused the producer of "Starballz" of creating pornographic cartoons aimed at children.
"Starballz" is an explicit sex parody of outer space adventure movies.
Media Market Group, the movie's producer, says the film is intended for adults only and will not be distributed to children.
The MMG lawsuit follows unsuccessful legal action by Lucas in California in January. A federal judge in Oakland threw out a lawsuit in which Lucas alleged that "Starballz" used intellectual property from "Star Wars" without authorization and in an offensive manner.
The hero of "Starballz" travels the galaxy looking for sex. The movie has characters with risque names that might remind "Star Wars" series fans of characters from the Lucas films.
A statement by Lucas spokeswoman Lynne Hale at the time said in part: "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."
In court papers filed this week, MMG says the company "has never directed pornography to children; the cover of 'Starballz' states 'Adult Only' in three places."
LINK
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