Disney is being sued for $10 billion by Buck Woodall, a writer and artist who claims the company used his ideas to create the movies ‘Moana’ and ‘Moana 2.’
Woodall says Disney copied elements from his ‘Bucky the Wave Warrior,’ an animated film idea he started working on in 2003.
As USA TODAY reports, the lawsuit was filed on January 10. It names The Walt Disney Company, Mandeville Films, and Jenny Marchick as defendants. Marchick, who worked at Mandeville Films during the time, allegedly had a deal with Disney that allowed her to share ideas with the company.
Woodall says Marchick encouraged him to provide materials for his project, including a script, storyboards, and an animated trailer. He claims his ideas were sent to Disney and later used to make ‘Moana’ in 2016 and its sequel in November 2024.
Woodall says the movies share ‘breathtaking’ similarities with his project. His story features a teenager on a mission to save a Polynesian island, representations of ancestors through animal spirits, a symbolic necklace, and a demigod with tattoos and a magical hook. These elements also appear in Moana. Woodall registered his work with the Writers Guild of America in 2004 and updated the copyright in 2014.
In addition to $10 billion in damages, Woodall is asking for 2.5% of the revenue earned by ‘Moana 2’ and related merchandise, which he estimates to be at least $5 billion. He is seeking a jury trial.
Disney has not commented on the lawsuit.
The ‘Moana’ franchise has been hugely successful. The first movie tells the story of Moana, a teenager who teams up with the demigod Maui to save her people. ‘Moana 2’ follows Moana as she answers a mysterious call from her ancestors. The second film broke box office records, earning $221 million during its Thanksgiving weekend debut in 2024.
Disney is also working on a live-action version of the original ‘Moana.’
Dwayne Johnson, who voices Maui in the animated films, shared in July 2024 that filming would begin in August. Catherine Laga’aia, a 17-year-old actress from Sydney, Australia, will play Moana in the live-action adaptation. Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Moana in the animated films, is an executive producer for the live-action project but chose not to play the role again to allow another Pacific Islander actress to take the spotlight.
