At the close of 2015, we reported thatParamount Pictures and CBS had teamed up to file suitover copyright violations of their shared propertyStar Trekby the planned fan filmAxanarand its already-producedPrelude to Axanar. The defendants in this claim,Axanar Productions Inc.and producerAlec Peters, responded with a dismissal notion stating that Paramount/CBS did not provide enough specificity as to the “thousands” of copyright infringements of both theStar TrekTV series and films. Not to be denied, the rights-holders have provided those specifics. And they’re rather silly.
AsTHRreports, Paramount/CBS responded to a number of counter arguments from Axanar Productions, but the most interesting details of the newly amended complaint include just which specificStar Trekhallmarks the fan-funded film have violated. These include–wait for it–the Klingon language, Vulcan ears, and gold shirts. Take a look at some of the evidence for these claims below:
On one hand, I completely understand the need to defend the companies' copyrights, especially as both the movie and TV owners ofStar Trekare cranking out new installments: Paramount’sStar Trek Beyondand CBS' untitled 2017 TV series. On that same hand, Axanar Productions raised over $1 million through Kickstarter and Indiegogo for their “fully professional independentStar Trekfilm” so they put a fairly large target on their own backs and then advertised it, almost daring the rights-holders to try and stop them. I’m fully in support of copyright owners retaining and controlling their intellectual property, even if they do silly things with it like licensingKlingon and Vulcan beer.
On the other hand, the combined juggernaut of the movie/TV studios aren’t just looking to shut down production of an unlicensed film, they’re seeking $150,000 per violation. If they’re actually citing thousands of those violations, that fan-funded piggy bank is going to be shattered very quickly. If we follow this to its logical conclusion in which Paramount/CBS wins and Axanar is forced to pony up the dough, I’ll be curious to see if the small-time production company will violate Kickstarter/Indiegogo’s policies by trying to use that fan-funding to buy their way out of the lawsuit. (And don’t even get me started on whether or not you cancopyright a language.)
It’s a crappy situation all around. Here’s howStar Trek BeyonddirectorJustin Linfeels about the lawsuit:
I’m sure his studio bosses will be thrilled with that, but at least he’s sticking up for the fans. That makes it slightly more difficult to suggest that, if you support the fan film and decry Paramount/CBS' decision to squash it, you may always protest by not seeingStar Trek Beyondin theaters on July 22nd.
For more on all thingsStar Trek, be sure to take a look at some of our recent stories below:
