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MARCH 3, 2008 at 2:59 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Canadian Press
Winnipeg, Canada folk music group Wyrd Sisters are continuing their two-year-old battle
with Warner Bros. over the similarly named (but alternately spelled) band in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, even though the group failed to halt the 2005 film's release and Warner Bros. removed all mention of it from the movie.
The folk group -- which attempted to trademark "Wyrd Sisters" in 2005 (its status remains "opposed") -- is now demanding that all remaining DVDs, video games and other merchandise that reference The Weird Sisters be destroyed. Kim Baryluk, the group's founder, said that included the film's soundtrack, the Harry Potter Scene-It DVD game, and trading cards.
"Consumers will assume that the smaller and less famous Canadian band is trying to take advantage of the Harry Potter fame by copying the Harry Potter band's name when in fact the reverse is true," Baryluk said in her statement of claim to the Federal Court of Canada in Toronto.
An Ontario Supreme Court judge previously ordered Baryluk to pay $140,000 in court costs to Warner Bros. for the failed attempt to block Goblet of Fire from being released to theaters in 2005. That payment has not been made.
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Weird Sisters Bassist
Points: 8449
Paper Cut says:
It's stupid they're carrying on with it really, because the Weird Sisters don't return in any future films and the name wasn't even mentioned in the fourth film.
It is blatantly obvious they're just doing it for the money and publicity. If I read Harry Potter and then stumbled across this band purely by coincidence, I would think it was really interesting that the names were similar. And I've studied Macbeth so I would know it's not just JKR's term, (it is infact an old English tradional term, so it makes more sense for her to use it than a Canadian group!) and I would probably look into this band and hear their music.
Now they've been thrust upon everyone and no one wants to hear their music now, because they're making such a big fuss over nothing!
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 2:36 PM EST
Witch
Points: 819
accio_kim says:
No, I agree with the Wyrd Sisters here. Clearly Warner Brothers and JK exploited their fame just to promote these obscure films called "Harry Potter."
I mean, really, did anyone even know who Harry Potter was before the inclusion of the Wierd Sisters?
Come on...
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 6:15 PM EST
Points: 7828
Rococoed says:
I thought I had seen the news in the Harry Potter fandom reach point where it couldn't become even more ridiculous, but I was wrong. This is more absurd than anything else I have heard as of late.
The name the Weird Sisters is derived from Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling likely used them prior to the inception of this band, even. Why is it that their lawsuit doesn't cover the books as well, since those include the Weird Sisters?
They are just going to bring themselves down terribly by doing this.
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 7:17 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1670
DumbledoresArmy says:
I think this is so stupid. It's like when Spike Lee sued Spike TV for supposedly naming their station after him. This is just the band trying to make a buck after a meer coincidence. The Wierd Sisters where called the Wierd Sisters by JKR.
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 8:56 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1272
hmrpotter says:
I'm sorry, but if you've been around since 1992, and I still haven't heard of you, then obviously you're doing something wrong. These people need to get a life.
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 9:34 PM EST
Magical Sanitary Supplier
Points: 2518
5225 says:
Well, can't they change their names or something? And settle this matter nicely?
Posted Mar 4, 2008 at 10:17 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1862
Bright Eyes says:
Wow. That's quite something to try to take on Warner Bros.
If anything, they're all copying Shakespeare's Macbeth - that's where the Wierd Sisters come from!
"When shall we three meet again..."
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 12:15 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
(Moderator)
Points: 1687
jones_jj says:
The Weird sisters came from Shakespear's MacBeth, or from ancient Greek history, there was a mentioning of the Weird Sisters, what the heck is the band complaining about? Weird and Wyrd are totally different spellings. I think this lawsuit should be thrown for being frivolous and the band should be charged a large amount of money for being silly.
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 8:53 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2334
SlytherinStarGazer says:
See it isn't like JKR stole the name, and before all this no one even knew they existed...Furthermore, They say that there biggest problem with this whole thing is that they are worried people will think they copied the band name from the book to get famous, when in fact pretty much everyone knows they didn't cause of this whole thing...I don't think they should even be complaining this whole fiasco made them famous...
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 3:22 PM EST
I Am Queen of My Castle
Points: 3673
Hecate3fold says:
Why can't people just live in peace and harmony?
Isn't it enough that we have people fighting over land and religion, do we need them fighting over how a name is spelled?
A lot of this world needs to grow up.
Blessings! Hecate3fold!
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 4:31 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1444
RIP_Sirus_and_Dumbledore says:
Um no. That band isn't even popular, and Harry Potter is a crazy sucess. Plus it's spelled two different ways, so they can't even say anything. That's very dumb.
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 7:00 PM EST
Magical Me
Points: 8420
Nutty4Harry says:
These people just need to get over this!! I really think they're just after publicity or money or both. JK has said that the band names are just coincidence. THey need to give it a rest. Wow...
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 7:48 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 14
felixfine7x says:
um. well the phrase "weird sisters" actually comes from Shakespeare's Macbeth so if anyone is allowed to sue for copyright garbage it should be billy himself. but seeing as J. K. Rowling actually uses "weird sisters" in the book... who is to say that they DIDN'T try and take atvantage of HP success?
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 8:27 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1514
MollyMomma says:
You'd think that they'd enjoy the publicity...make people try to listen to them. The spelling's different, the music they play is different...stop interfering in the flow of true justice needing to be appropriated.
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 8:55 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1448
Wulfric_Brian says:
AHH! This is SO stupid! It's not even the same spelling. And I'm heavily into music and have never even heard of the Wyrd Sisters (with the exception of this ridiculous lawsuit). You'd think they would love the publicity of a major novel/movie using a similar name.
All they are doing now is ensuring that HP lovers won't buy one of their albums.
Posted Mar 5, 2008 at 10:35 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2076
Feelin' Felix Felicis says:
I never even knew such a group existed. They won't win over Warner Brothers. I think that band is just searching for publicity.
Posted Mar 6, 2008 at 9:46 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2563
School Governor says:
What a waste of time and money! They have already lost and are just sore losers. pay up and go home!
Posted Mar 6, 2008 at 5:22 PM EST
Squib
Points: 192
ginny_weasley36 says:
Wow...I can't actually believe that someone would waste their time over something really stupid like that...They shouldd't be suing!!! They really should be happy because J.K has, probably without knowing, given them publicity, altough i bet now they are just trying to get more publicity off it and trying to sue...of course that is giving them bad publicity in the eyes of all the Harry Potter fans out there...I mean i have never heard of these people before now so they should just chill because in my opinion, they are acting quite pathetic.
Posted Mar 6, 2008 at 6:48 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1453
smart hermione says:
Oh puh-lease, i thought we were done with these idiots. Wonder why Shakespeare doesnt come back to sue them after they copied his weird sisters from macbeth.
Posted Mar 7, 2008 at 11:55 AM EST
Auror
Points: 3467
HufflepuffActress says:
Well people. the Weird sister comes from Shakespeare in Macbeth. And since he has been dead for 400 years and copyright laws did not exist back then the name can be used by anyone. I am sure the band got it from Shakespeare not Harry Potter.
Posted Mar 7, 2008 at 4:56 PM EST
Witch
Points: 854
Khay says:
Ugh. Get over it, you aren't going to win and you got your few minutes of fame last time you and it didn't help you, and it's not going to help you this time either.
Posted Mar 7, 2008 at 7:36 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2855
HarriPotter says:
Yeah Shakespeare should sue the Wyrd Sisters. This is the stupidest, most desperate thing I've ever heard of.
Posted Mar 8, 2008 at 12:12 AM EST
Auror
Points: 3656
Anastasia Popovick says:
Good Lord! Give up! And stop wasting tax payers money and you're own! What a waste of time.
Posted Mar 8, 2008 at 10:03 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2108
phoenix_feathers says:
At first, I thought that it was saying that Warner Brothers was suing the Wyrd Sisters. Then I realized that it was the other way around.
That is just ridiculous. I find it hard to believe, the stupidity of humanity. Why can they not co exist? Are the Wyrd Sisters afraid that the Weird Sisters will be come more popular? *sniggers*
Posted Mar 8, 2008 at 1:44 PM EST
Witch
Points: 883
Bossy Boots says:
Give it up, Wyrd Sisters. You won't win. And learn how to spell. Thank you.
Posted Mar 8, 2008 at 4:24 PM EST
Delusional Army Soldier
Points: 4399
ILoveHP! says:
Okay that is so weird. Why don't they just give up?
Posted Mar 8, 2008 at 9:35 PM EST
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