
Disney Faces Copyright Lawsuit for This Popular Franchise
By Movieguide® Contributor
Animator Buck Woodall has filed a copyright lawsuit against Disney, claiming the company stole a storyboard he produced in 2004 and used it as the basis for MOANA and MOANA 2.
Woodall’s story, named “Bucky,” followed the story of a Polynesian teenager who embarked on an ocean journey in an outrigger canoe to save his land. Along the way, he received help from spiritual ancestors who took the form of animal guides and faced a lava goddess and a giant monster disguised as an island. Furthermore, Woodall claims his story included rooster and pig companions, a whirlpool leading to a portal and Kakamora warriors, all of which were present in MOANA 2.
Woodall previously attempted to file a lawsuit against the original MOANA but the statute of limitations on copyright infringement had already passed. Now, his lawsuit is technically against the sequel but includes many references to stolen ideas present in the first movie as well.
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The animator is seeking damages totaling 2.5% of the franchise’s net earnings, which would come out to a significant total. The first movie grossed $643 million at the box office while MOANA 2 is currently sitting at a $989 million gross.
The lawsuit would also block Disney from continuing to profit off of the stolen copyright, a major problem for the company as it has already finished filming a live-action version of MOANA which is set to release in 2026.
Disney previously faced a similar lawsuit over the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise which was decided in Disney’s favor after the judge ruled that the plot followed pirate tropes that are uncopyrightable. Woodall may face a similar fate as many of the ideas present in MOANA come from Polynesian folklore. However, if he were able to produce his storyboards and show definitive proof that his ideas had been stolen, he may have a chance to win the lawsuit.
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