Glee has been on for five seasons and is entering its final year, but the show might have to undergo a huge change in the U.K. A judge ruled that the name Glee violates a copyright held by Comedic Enterprises for its “The Glee Club” comedy club chain.
Back in February, Judge Roger Wyand had ruled in favor of Comedic Enterprises, noting that some people might confuse the two as having some kind of link. However, as the Associated Press points out, 20th Century fox has argued that suddenly changing the name this far into the show’s run would be too costly and unfair.
Even though the judge did note that Comedic Enterprises was never able to prove that Fox was trying to convince people that Glee and “The Glee Club” had any connection, the High Court said today that a title change isn’t unfair.
“I find it hard to believe that the cost of the re-titling and publicising of the new name would be so prohibitive compared to the value of the series,” Ward said Friday, reports The Telegraph. “I was told many times during the course of the trial how this series is a 'blockbuster.’”
Fox has appealed the ruling, so the case will go to the Court of Appeals. In the meantime, Fox will have to pay 100,000 pounds ($170,000) in interim damages. The full amount will be determined later.
Glee’s final season will air in the U.S. in midseason on Fox. The show has not had any title issues here.
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