Disney movie ‘Moana 2’. Picture: X/@EzraCubero
Disney’s “Moana 2” might be one of the most anticipated sequels, but the entertainment giant is facing a serious legal battle behind the scenes.
Animator Buck Woodall has filed a $10 billion (281.7bn) lawsuit against Disney, claiming they lifted key elements from his screenplay “Bucky the Wave Warrior” without his permission.
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, alleges that “Moana” closely mirrors Woodall’s decades-old script, which was inspired by Polynesian culture.
According to court documents, Woodall’s story and “Moana” share striking similarities, including a teen protagonist who embarks on a perilous journey across Polynesian waters to save an endangered island.
Both also feature “ancient spirits manifested as animals, which guide and guard the living,” a creative element Woodall insists was unique to his script.
He also named production company Mandeville Films and Jenny Marchick, formerly with Mandeville and now at DreamWorks Animation, as part of the lawsuit.
Woodall claims he shared his materials with Marchick in 2003, only for Disney to later develop “Moana” with eerily similar themes.
In his lawsuit, Woodall states: "Disney's Moana franchise exhibits breathtaking similarities to my screenplay for ‘Bucky the Wave Warrior’, which was inspired by my unique exposure to Polynesian culture."
He is seeking "at least $10 billion" in damages and 2.5% of gross revenue from “Moana 2” and related merchandise, which he estimates would amount to “at least $5 billion”.
This isn’t the first time Disney has been accused of copyright theft. In 2017, screenwriter Gary Goldman filed a lawsuit alleging that Disney copied elements from his work for “Zootopia”.
However, a US District Court dismissed the case, with Judge Michael Fitzgerald ruling that Goldman failed to prove that Disney had access to his work or that the two projects were “substantially similar”.
Disney also faced backlash over “The Lion King”, with allegations that it bore a strong resemblance to the Japanese anime, “Kimba the White Lion” .
Although Disney has denied any direct inspiration, these claims have fuelled debates in creative circles for years.
Legal expert Michael C. Donaldson, quoted by “Variety” during the “Zootopia” lawsuit, noted: “In cases like these, it’s challenging to prove infringement because ideas are not protected, only specific expressions of ideas are.”
Disney has consistently maintained that its creative processes are original and lawful, a stance the company reiterated in its responses to past lawsuits.