Lucasfilms suing over 'Skywalker'

The film company, run by George Lucas, claims it has a patent on "Skywalker," part of the name of Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars films.

Along with unspecified monetary damages, the trademark-infringement suit seeks to
prohibit billboard company Skywalker Outdoor from using the name Skywalker, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.

The suit says the name has been trademarked since 1977 and that Skywalker Outdoor, which owns operates highway billboards in Chicago, had agreed to stop using it by Dec. 31, 2008.

However, the company continues to use the term and says the executive who signed that agreement in 2007 did not have the company's permission to do so.

Current Skywalker Outdoor Chief Executive Michael Richards claimed he was unaware the company had agreed not to use the term, the suit said. The Tribune said Richards did not return phone calls.

Copyright 2010 United Press International