‘Star Wars’ Leak Prompts Disney to Seek Subpoena

Disney has unleashed its first weapon over a possible leak of images from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. On Friday, the studio’s Lucasfilm division requested that a California federal judge issue a subpoena to identify alleged copyright infringers of the film.

The subpoena is directed to ImageShack, a website hosting a screenshot of what appears to be a Sith lord from the film set to be released in December. The pictured character wears a dark hood and a mask and is waiving a red broadsword lightsaber that’s of the same ilk seen in the movie’s trailer. It was posted by a user named “Darth_Simi.”

In a declaration to support the issuance of a subpoena, a Disney employee confirms the image relates to Episode VII, now officially known as The Force Awakens, and that ImageShack was sent a takedown notice pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

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As of publishing, the image remains up, viewed just over 6,000 times.

This isn’t the first time that a Disney entity is attempting to use the force of subpoena to take a crack at leakers. In November, Marvel had one issued to Google over posted material from Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Email: Eriq.Gardner@THR.com
Twitter: @eriqgardner

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