Disney is currently facing a lawsuit filed by animator Buck Woodall, who claims the company copied his ideas for the animated movie Moana and its sequel, Moana 2. Woodall alleges that the studio took elements from a screenplay he wrote for an animated film titled Bucky, which shares similar themes to Moana, including teenagers from an ancient Polynesian village going on adventures to save their homes. Woodall is seeking 2.5% of Moana's gross revenue, which amounts to approximately $10 billion.
The lawsuit was filed in a California federal court, and Woodall claims that he provided the screenplay and a trailer for Bucky to Jenny Marchick, a former development director at Mandeville Films, who now works at DreamWorks Animation. The complaint asserts that Disney's Moana was developed using Woodall's ideas, which he had been working on for over 17 years. One of the key points in the lawsuit is a scene involving a dangerous oceanic portal, which Woodall contends was taken directly from his original work.
This is not the first time Woodall has pursued legal action against Disney regarding Moana. A previous lawsuit related to the first film was dismissed last year, but with the release of Moana 2, Woodall has revived his legal challenge, citing the sequel as further evidence of the alleged theft.
Disney has yet to publicly comment on the lawsuit. In the past, the company has stated that none of the individuals involved in the creation of Moana had seen Woodall’s materials. Director Ron Clements previously testified in court that Moana was neither inspired by nor based on Woodall’s Bucky project.
Moana 2, released in 2024, continues the story of the beloved character Moana, voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, as she embarks on another adventure alongside Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. The film was a major box office success, grossing $964 million, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2024. It has been well-received and is considered a strong contender in the upcoming awards season.
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