The Indicator from Planet Money

When is cosplay a crime?

Jul 17, 2025 · 9 min · 9.1 MB
0:00-9:29

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Cosplay—or dressing up as your favorite character from pop culture—is fun! But it can fall into a legal gray area when it comes to companies' intellectual property.

Today on the show: a group of cosplayers, Lucasfilm(!), a lawyer, and finding economic symbiosis in order to express yourself.

Related episodes:
Before La La Land there was Fort Lee, New Jersey (Apple / Spotify)
Why aren't filmmakers shooting in LA? (Apple / Spotify)

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