The Walt Disney Company has been hit with a $10 billion lawsuit over alleged copyright infringement in the 2024 animated blockbuster Moana 2. Filed by animator Buck Woodall, the lawsuit claims that both the original Moana (2016) and its sequel draw heavily from Woodall’s screenplay for a project titled Bucky, which he submitted to Disney-affiliated personnel in 2003.
Allegations Against Disney
Woodall alleges that elements from his Bucky screenplay, including plot points, character traits, and key visual elements, were used in Moana and Moana 2. These include:
- The setting of an ancient Polynesian village.
- A teenage protagonist embarking on an oceanic adventure influenced by ancestral spirits.
- A symbolic necklace as a core element of the story.
- A demigod with tattoos wielding a hook.
- A climactic whirlpool portal sequence.
Woodall claims he submitted a screenplay, concept trailer, and supporting materials in 2003 to Jenny Marchick, then the Director of Development at Mandeville Films, which had a first-look deal with Disney. He asserts these materials were used without credit or compensation.
This is Woodall’s second attempt to sue Disney for copyright infringement. His initial lawsuit against the original Moana was dismissed in November 2023 for being filed too late. However, the dismissal acknowledged disputed issues regarding substantial and striking similarities between the works.
Disney’s Response
Disney has yet to issue a public statement on the latest lawsuit, but past responses have denied any connection between Moana and Woodall’s Bucky. In the earlier case, Moana co-director Ron Clements stated, “Moana was not inspired by or based in any way on [Woodall] or his ‘Bucky’ project, which I learned of for the first time after this lawsuit was filed.“
Impact Amid Awards Season Success
The timing of the lawsuit coincides with Moana 2‘s awards season buzz. The sequel has been a critical and commercial triumph, grossing $964 million globally, making it the fourth highest-grossing movie of 2024. It has garnered multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature, and its song “Beyond” is vying for an Academy Award nomination.
However, this legal challenge could cast a shadow over the film’s accolades. The lawsuit seeks $10 billion or 2.5% of the Moana franchise’s total gross revenue, potentially setting a precedent for high-profile copyright disputes in Hollywood.
Broader Context
This is not Disney’s first brush with copyright controversies. In 2017, the company faced legal action over the use of MOVA Contour technology in Beauty and the Beast, which resulted in a $600,000 fine that was later overturned. The same year, Disney was sued by Arthur Lee Alfred II and Ezequiel Martinez Jr. for allegedly infringing on their screenplay for Pirates of the Caribbean.
What’s Next?
The court will now examine the merits of Woodall’s claims, including his evidence of similarity between the Bucky project and the Moana films. Given the acknowledgment of disputed similarities in the earlier case, this lawsuit may progress further, testing Disney’s defenses against copyright claims.