Update July 2007 - Since May 2005, Lucasfilm and Shepperton Design Studios have been involved in legal proceedings centred around the issue of who precisely owns the copyright on the various helmets and armour made by SDS for Star Wars - A New Hope in 1976. These legal proceedings are currently under way in the United Kingdom and are expected to go before a judge (and jury?) at the High Court sometime early 2008.

In 2004, Andrew Ainsworth, the man who manufactured the original helmets and armour for ANH back in 1976  started production again at a newly formed Shepperton Design Studios, using many of the original moulds used to create the original helmets.

Shepperton Design Studios were therefore producing what many saw the the "holy grail" of a supposed "1st Generation" helmet.  Starting initially in 2004 with the Stunt Stormtrooper they subsequently added the Imperial TIE Pilot later that year. In 2005 they added the Hero Stormtrooper helmet, full Stormtrooper Armor in summer/autumn 05 and a lower-cost "Battle-Spec" Costuming Stunt Stormtrooper Helmet at the same time. Later in 2007 they added a further number of helmets including DS Gunner, Rebel Fleet Trooper, TIE Armour, Imperial Guard and X-Wing helmets.