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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Doh! Was That Really Homer Simpson?

SAN DIEGO (CN) - Two Hologram companies claim Twentieth Century Fox and Gracie Films violated patents to create a hologram of Homer Simpson for a "highly publicized panel discussion" with Homer's creator, Matt Groening, at this year's Comic-Con convention in San Diego.

Hologram USA claims it acquired exclusive rights to the patents from co-plaintiffs Musion Das Hologram, of London, and the inventor, Uwe Maass.

They sued Twentieth Century Fox and Gracie Films, which produces "The Simpsons," on Aug. 14, in Federal Court.

Groening is not a party to the lawsuit.

Hologram claims that the defendants profited greatly from use of the patents at the July 24 panel discussion at Comic-Con. It claims a video clip of the performance has been viewed 850,000 times on YouTube, and that Fox advertising is imbedded in the clip.

Hologram seeks an injunction and treble damages for willful infringement of two patents, and for contributory infringement.

It is represented by Ryan Baker with Baker Marquart, of Los Angeles.

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