May the odds be ever in everyone's favor.
Lionsgate, the film studio behind The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, is taking alleged counterfeiters to court, E! News confirms. Lionsgate recently brought a lawsuit against Yagoozon, a company it claims is producing its own version of Katniss' Mockingjay pin.
An image of this pin (which represents rebellion against the Capitol and is worn by Jennifer Lawrence on the silver screen), is heavily featured on the official poster of Catching Fire. Yagoozon is selling a pin, primarily on Amazon.
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate complains that only specific third parties have the rights to sell various Hunger Games items and merchandise. The National Entertainment Collectibles Association is among the licensees, and they, in fact, are OK'd to sell a replica of the Mockingjay pin.
Per Lionsgate's suit, Yagoozon tried to purchase merchandise from NECA on multiple occasions between March and April of 2012, but were refused. Then, in April, Yagoozon's CFO sent a letter to NECA, saying it was unlawful that their competition was allowed to sell Hunger Games paraphernalia while they had to sign a disclaimer not to do the same. Lionsgate later learned that the defendants were offering allegedly counterfeit Hunger Games merchandise for sale online. Later that month, NECA replied that the accusations wre unfounded and meritless.
—Reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum