Indiana Jones 5 Sued For Unbelievably Stupid Reason
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was a financial letdown for Lucasfilm at the box office. To make matters worse, the Disney-owned company now faces added financial woes due to a lawsuit concerning a backpack worn by Harrison Ford’s character in the latest installment to the franchise. Starte Facts reports that Frost River Trading Co., a Minnesota-based company, has accused Lucasfilm of using its products without consent.
Disney is being sued by Frost River Trading Co., maker of the Geologist backpack used in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, for unauthorized product use.
Frost River filed the lawsuit against Lucasfilm last week in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California. In addition to alleging unauthorized use of its products in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the company claims Lucasfilm further displayed clips featuring its products on a competitor’s website as part of a marketing campaign. Frost River claims the marketing is intended to trick consumers into believing the bags seen in the movie and advertisements are sold by Filson, a rival company.
In Dial of Destiny, Indiana Jones sports a unique bag with a drawstring and flap cover. Frost River alleges Lucasfilm used this product without consent and modified its identifying features. Such actions breach federal trademark law.
According to the lawsuit, Lucasfilm partnered with Filson for a co-branded campaign for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, promoting both the movie and Filson’s products. The two companies created a one-minute commercial blending scenes from the film with actors using Filson’s items. One scene notably featured Frost River’s Geologist Pack.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny wasn’t profitable for Disney, and now an avoidable lawsuit will further eat into the $375 million it earned at the box office.
The producers of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are under scrutiny, especially given the evident effort to modify Fork River’s products to avoid recognition. They seemingly disguised these products intentionally. It’s puzzling why Lucasfilm didn’t directly collaborate with Fork River instead of partnering with Filson and using the former’s products.
As the lawsuit unfolds, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny continues its theatrical run. Since its June 28 release, this fifth installment has had difficulty profiting for Lucasfilm. With a whopping $294.7 million production cost, excluding marketing, it stands as the priciest in the Indiana Jones series and ranks among the costliest films ever produced.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny debuted with $60 million domestically but saw a significant 55 percent decline, grossing only $26.5 million in its second weekend. In the United States, its earnings have reached $172.9 million. Globally, with international contributions, the movie has garnered a total of $375 million.
The lawsuit alleges that Lucasfilm made an Indiana Jones commerical promotiing Filson, a Fork River competitor, even if the latter’s product was clearly seen in the commerical.
Directed by James Mangold, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny dives deep into Harrison Ford’s character’s journey as he confronts the challenges of a transforming world on the brink of his retirement. Yet, with the reappearance of a past adversary bearing ill intentions, Indiana Jones is compelled to step back into his iconic shoes, ensuring a powerful artifact doesn’t fall prey to nefarious uses.
In addition to Harrison Ford, the movie stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen, Martin McDougall, Alaa Safi, Francis Chapman, and Alfonso Mandia.
