Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones Nightmare: The Dial Of Destiny Lawsuit Explained
When we first meet Indy in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," it's clear much has changed in the 12 years that have passed since the events of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." In 1969, an old Indiana Jones is living a somber, isolated existence in Manhattan, having lost his son in the Vietnam War and subsequently getting divorced from Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).
While the Indiana we meet in "Dial of Destiny" is certainly a far cry from the heroic adventurer of years past, one thing that does remain the same is his wardrobe, complete with the well-worn leather jacket and iconic brown fedora. Although Indy's outfit is one of the most famous costumes in cinematic history, his appearance in "Dial of Destiny" has actually become the subject of a trademark lawsuit by clothing company Frost River, the latest in a series of many woes affecting "Dial of Destiny," which bombed at the box office amid lukewarm reviews.
Frost River's suit claims that Lucasfilm misappropriated its "Geologist Pack" and several other Frost River Products for use in "Dial of Destiny;" removing identifying tags or marks to disguise the product in direct violation of federal trademark law. Frost River has even doubled down on these claims by offering the new "Geologist Pack – Artifact Edition," which has had all logos removed and is accompanied by the tagline "[The Pack's] authenticity elevated it to be featured on the back of a heritage Hollywood film icon."
Frost River is accusing Lucasfilm of passing off their pack as a Filson product
On top of claiming that Lucasfilm never received authorization to use the Geologist Pack in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," much less remove its identifying branding, Frost River's lawsuit also accuses the studio of using their product in a deceptive marketing campaign for competing outdoor apparel company Filson.
"Lucasfilm and Filson produced a 60 second commercial prominently featuring video clips from the Indiana Jones 5 film intertwined with video clips of actors using Filson's own products," writes Frost River lawyer Devin McRae. "One of the intertwined video clips was one from Indiana Jones 5 featuring Frost River's Geologist Pack."
The complaint specifically references the Lanham Act, a law which aims to protect any owners of a "federally registered mark" from the use of similar marks that might result in confusion for customers. Frost River's suit argues that Lucasfilm and Filson violated section 43(a) of the Lanham Act (which concerns "False Designations of Origin") and attempted to fool customers into believing that Indiana Jones' pack was a Filson product.
Neither Lucasfilm nor Filson have commented on this lawsuit at this time.