Disney is being sued for alleged plagiarism related to its iconic "Moana" franchise. On Friday, January 10th, animator Buck Woodall filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company, its extensive film, television, and animation divisions, as well as Jenny Marchick, DreamWorks Animation's head of feature film development. Woodall claims that Marchick and Disney borrowed heavily from a screenplay he authored for a Polynesian-themed animated film titled "Bucky," which they utilized for their hugely successful 2016 film "Moana" and its upcoming 2024 sequel, "Moana 2."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Woodall's lawsuit seeks damages totaling "at least $10 billion." Woodall alleges that he introduced the concept of "Bucky" to Marchick and his former employer, Mandeville Films, in 2003. He further contends that Mandeville, which had a first-look deal with Disney and maintained offices on Disney's Burbank property, facilitated the sharing of his copyrighted materials with Disney via Marchick.
The lawsuit asserts that both "Bucky" and "Moana" revolve around "a teenager who defies parental advice and embarks on a perilous journey." It further alleges that both films employ ancient Polynesian villages as their setting, incorporate the Polynesian belief in spiritual ancestors, utilize sea navigation by the stars, and feature a protagonist who encounters a demigod wielding a giant hook and tattoos, among other striking similarities.
Disney representatives did not promptly respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Woodall claims that he sent Marchick a copy of his final script draft in 2011, during her tenure as a consultant for original movies at Disney. This, according to the lawsuit, was "practically the final piece in the defendants' conspiratorial puzzle to steal 'Bucky' and create 'Moana.'"
THR reports that Woodall filed this lawsuit after a court ruling in November dismissed an identical copyright suit he filed over "Moana" due to the statute of limitations. However, the release of "Moana 2" in November 2024 paved the way for him to file the January 10th lawsuit.
Woodall's lawsuit also contends that "Moana 2" continues to draw from "Bucky," asserting that the sequel's protagonist's adventure mirrors his character's journey in "Bucky." Moreover, the inclusion of Moana's rooster Heihei and pig Pua in the adventure supposedly reflects "a similar dynamic [to Bucky] and actually represents an even starker similarity than the infringement demonstrated by" the original "Moana."
The lawsuit claims that Woodall has suffered "substantial damages, including lost financial opportunities, diminished value of his intellectual property, and profound reputational harm due to the defendants' actions." In addition to seeking $10 billion in damages, Woodall also demands at least 2.5 percent of the gross revenues attributable to "Moana," totaling "at least $5 billion." The lawsuit further requests "an accounting of all revenues of any kind generated by the defendants from each aspect of the 'Moana' franchise" following the release of the original film.
