Disney Faces $10 Billion Copyright Lawsuit Over ‘Moana’ as Jury Selection Commences

Overview of Legal Dispute

Animator Buck Woodall alleges that Disney appropriated his original concept for Moana.
Woodall claims the idea was shared with Disney via a relative connected to Hollywood.
Disney denies any association with Woodall’s work, with the upcoming trial expected to clarify the film’s creative origins.

The heart of a significant legal conflict is unfolding in Los Angeles, where animator Buck Woodall has filed a lawsuit claiming that Disney appropriated the concept for its acclaimed 2016 animated feature, Moana, from his earlier project. Woodall asserts that Disney gained access to his original idea, titled Bucky the Surfer Boy, through a familial connection within the industry, which he believes constitutes an egregious instance of idea theft.

Woodall elaborates that his project was a Polynesian-themed animated film he developed years prior to the release of Moana, which is currently on the verge of having a live-action adaptation. He estimates that he invested around $500, 000 into crafting a comprehensive movie package, complete with a script, storyboard, and an animated trailer. In 2003, he provided this material to Jenny Marchick, the stepsister of his brother’s wife, who was an employee at Mandeville Films at the time. Mandeville had a “first-look” deal with Disney, giving the studio the primary option to distribute its projects.

Woodall claims that Marchick urged him to enhance the details about Bucky, suggesting his materials ended up influencing the creation of Moana.“Both stories depict a young character who disregards parental guidance and embarks on a perilous voyage across Polynesian waters to safeguard their endangered homeland, ” Woodall stated. He further indicated that both projects highlight the Polynesian cultural significance of “unfettered access to the sea as a native right.” Conversely, Disney has consistently denied any link between Woodall’s concept and Moana, maintaining that its own storytellers crafted the narrative entirely independently. Jury selection for the trial commenced earlier this week, setting the stage to determine if Disney had access to Woodall’s materials and whether his claims of copyright infringement hold merit.

Disney Confronts $10 Billion Copyright Claims

Woodall’s lawsuit encounters serious legal challenges. While he first viewed Moana in late 2016 and noted similarities to his own project, he did not initiate legal action until 2020, surpassing the statute of limitations for most of his claims. Consequently, U. S.District Judge Consuelo Marshall ruled that only claims related to Disney’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment—responsible for distributing Moana on DVD and Blu-ray—remain pending. Woodall also sought to include Disney+ in the lawsuit, contending that its revenue should be factored into the damages calculation; however, the judge dismissed this application, clarifying that Disney+ operates independently from Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

The judge will apply an extrinsic test to ascertain whether Moana borrowed any protectable aspects from Bucky, rather than merely generic themes, prompting an intense examination of the similarities claimed. Disney staunchly defends the originality of its work, underscoring the considerable creative investment behind Moana, which is lauded as one of its top animated features. As the trial progresses, a jury will ultimately decide whether the beloved Disney franchise is a product of internal innovation or if it owes its inception to an overlooked animator’s earlier script.

Source: Court House News

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