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Fictional Characters Intellectual Property Litigation Brand

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim

Weintraub Tobin on

Can a car be a copyrightable character? In Carroll Shelby Licensing v. Halicki, the Ninth Circuit said no — ruling that “Eleanor,” the iconic Mustang from ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ lacks the distinctiveness and consistency...more

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

Gone from Copyright: Ninth Circuit Rejects Copyright Protection for Iconic “Eleanor” Shelby Mustang

Court Narrows Scope of Character Copyright, Drawing Sharp Line Between Props and Protectable Expression - Not every film icon gets legal protection. On May 27, 2025, the Ninth Circuit ruled that Eleanor—the legendary Mustang...more

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