Disney Has Been Sued for Allegedly Copying the Idea for ‘Moana’ and Its Sequel
Animator Buck Woodall has filed a lawsuit against Disney, claiming the entertainment giant used his screenplay, “Bucky,” as inspiration for both “Moana” and its sequel, “Moana 2.”
The lawsuit (obtained by THR), filed in California federal court on January 10, alleges that Disney incorporated plot elements, themes, and character designs from Woodall’s 2003 project into these films. He is seeking at least $10 billion in damages.
Woodall claims he shared his screenplay, storyboards, and character designs with Mandeville Films in 2003, a company that had a first-look deal with Disney at the time. He alleges that Jenny Marchick, who was with Mandeville Films at the time and is now DreamWorks Animation’s head of development, took his materials and shared them with Disney.
The lawsuit highlights several similarities between Woodall’s “Bucky” and Disney’s films. For example, both stories feature a young protagonist defying parental warnings and embarking on a dangerous journey across Polynesian waters.
Both stories also include encounters with demigods adorned with tattoos and hooks and explore Polynesian spiritual beliefs, including the theme of ancestors manifesting as animals. In “Moana 2,” Woodall sees further parallels, such as the protagonist’s mission to break a curse and the search for an ancient island.
This lawsuit is not Woodall’s first legal action against Disney. A previous case, filed in November, was dismissed due to a statute of limitations. However, the release of “Moana 2” allowed him to renew his claims. Disney has not commented on the lawsuit yet, and it’s still unclear if anyone at Disney directly reviewed Woodall’s materials before developing “Moana.”
This case raises questions about intellectual property and creative rights in Hollywood. If Woodall’s claims are found to be valid, it could have far-reaching implications for how studios develop culturally inspired films and handle creative submissions.
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