Animator Sues Disney over Claims Moana Films Copied His Work

By Evans Momodu
3 minute digest

Animator Buck Woodall has filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the hit films Moana and Moana 2 copied significant elements from his own screenplay and project materials, a claim Disney strongly denies.

Woodall contends that his original screenplay for an animated project titled Bucky, developed in the early 2000s, contains plot points and themes strikingly similar to those seen in Moana.

He claims that Disney obtained access to his materials through Jenny Marchick, a former development director at Mandeville Films, which had a first-look deal with Disney at the time.

The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, seeks damages of at least $10 billion (£8.25 billion) and alleges that Marchick requested detailed materials, including production plans, storyboards, and character designs, assuring Woodall that the project had potential for approval.

Alleged Similarities

Woodall points to parallels between Bucky and Moana, released in 2016, and its sequel Moana 2, including:

• A teenage protagonist who defies parental warnings to embark on a dangerous voyage across Polynesian waters to save an endangered island.
• Thematic elements tied to Polynesian beliefs in spiritual ancestors manifesting as animals.
• A symbolic necklace central to the plot.
• Encounters with a demigod adorned with a giant hook and tattoos.
• A climactic sequence involving a giant creature hidden within a mountain.

The lawsuit further claims that Moana 2, released in November 2024, incorporates unique elements from Woodall’s materials, such as an oceanic whirlpool-like portal, which he asserts could not have been developed without intentional copying.

Disney’s Response

Ron Clements, director of Moana, has refuted the claims, stating that the films were "not in any way" inspired by Woodall’s work.

The lawsuit alleges that Disney leveraged Woodall’s contributions to create Moana while concealing any connection to his work, a claim Disney is expected to challenge vigorously.

The case has reignited debates about intellectual property rights and creative originality in the entertainment industry.
Source: Sky news