A Dr Who TARDIS copyright/licencing question

[murdomac]

I just wondered would there be anything to stop a company coming along and producing a 1/6 scale replica of a 1960's police call box? could the BBC stop someting like that? I'm assuming they couldn't as the source material is public, just curious.

 

[kl241]

I just wondered would there be anything to stop a company coming along and producing a 1/6 scale replica of a 1960's police call box? could the BBC stop someting like that? I'm assuming they couldn't as the source material is public, just curious.

Seeing as how Police Boxes were a very real historical object used commonly in England and undoubtedly made iconic by Doctor Who, it does not seem that the BBC can copyright the name "Police Box" or the use of it's imagery, and could be considered "Fair Use" and " Public Domain," however, any implication that it is in any way a time traveling device, spaceship or vehicle that is "bigger on the inside," "TARDIS," "Timelords" etc. would arguably be construed as an infringement of BBC copyrights so I would tread VERY carefully but I don't really see a problem selling a 1:6 historically accurate "Police Box" AS-IS without any additional modifications for general practical use.

 

[Lejuan]

That thing really is so much bigger than an iPhone.

 

[monobrowze]

According to Wikipedia the BBC applied to use it as a trademark and were successful.