Disney has faced several publicized lawsuits this year, and one more seems to have been added to the list now. The studio’s subsidiary Lucasfilm, which produced Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was reportedly sued by an associate of late actor Peter Cushing for using his likeness in the film after his death.
Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars but unfortunately passed away in 1994, three decades before his likeness was used with special effects in Rogue One. While the court rejected Disney’s plea to dismiss the lawsuit and allowed it to go to trial, netizens wondered why it took the associate eight years to file a suit.
Disney’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Faces A Lawsuit
Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set before the events of 1977’s Star Wars. Actor Peter Cushing made his first appearance as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original film and was reportedly pleased with the final result. A noted British actor with decades of experience, the film gave him a new dose of visibility and stardom.
The actor passed away in 1994, but in Edwards’ Rogue One, which was released in 2016, Cushing’s likeness was used to give Tarkin another appearance in the franchise. While many at the time criticized the move, the Cushing Estate was reportedly involved in the process and permitted them to do so (via The Telegraph).
However, an associate of Cushing named Kevin Francis has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Disney as the actor had reportedly signed an agreement to prevent his likeness from being used in the future. According to The Times UK, Francis argued that he signed a contract saying that no one could use his image without Francis’ permission.
While Disney reportedly argued that they did not believe permission was required due to the terms of Cushing’s contract in the original film, the court rejected its plea to dismiss the case and has reportedly allowed it to go to trial. Kevin Francis was reportedly asking for less than £500,000.
Netizens Wonder Why Peter Cushing’s Associate Sued Disney 8 Years After Rogue One’s Release
In the case of Peter Cushing’s friend Kevin Francis suing Disney for using the actor’s image in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the court mentioned that due to the nature of developing laws, it was difficult to give a fair judgment without a full factual inquiry (via The Times). The court reportedly also did not find Francis’ argument entirely convincing.
When Rogue One was released, there was an uproar among fans on the ethics behind using a dead actor’s likeness with special effects. With the advent of AI, the possibilities are endless and so are its ethical questions. However, in the case of Peter Cushing, people wondered why it took eight years for Francis to file a lawsuit.
Star Wars has also used Carrie Fisher’s likeness and recreated her character Leia using special effects in Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, which was released a few years after her death.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is available to stream on Disney+.
