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Disney Moana 2 Lawsuit Explained: $10 Billion Claim Over Alleged Copy of Bucky Screenplay

Disney Moana 2 lawsuit explained: In a dramatic turn of events, Disney is facing a massive $10 billion lawsuit filed by animator Buck Woodall, who alleges that the studio copied key elements from his screenplay for the animated film Bucky when creating Moana and its sequel, Moana 2. The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, accuses Disney of using Woodall’s creative materials without permission, potentially infringing upon his intellectual property. This has brought on heated discussions over originality and copyright in the entertainment sector.

The case basically involves Bucky vs Moana.

According to Buck Woodall, he has an animated film project called Bucky for over 17 years now, and the storyline is close to the one and themes followed in Moana. Bucky explains the journey undertaken by teenagers from an ancient Polynesian village in a quest to save their homes. Woodall explained that this storyline is slightly the same in Moana as the main character, a girl of Polynesian background, embarks on a perilous voyage to save her people.

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Woodall claims that he pitched a script and a teaser to Bucky Jenny Marchick, former head of development at Mandeville Films. At the time, Mandeville Films was under a first-look deal with Disney. Woodall insists that after showing them his work, the overarching themes of his movie were used in Moana. Disney, however, maintains that it has never read any of his work.

Parallels between Moana and Bucky

The lawsuit, however, notes that Moana and Bucky have several striking similarities. For instance, both films have protagonists who embark on an adventurous journey to save their homes. This is quite a difference because in Moana, this journey is precipitated by Moana’s desire to help her people, while in Bucky, the teenagers have a similar goal.

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Other similarities supposedly include spiritual ancestors in the story, who both come in the form of animals, a symbolic necklace, and a main character who meets a half-god who has a huge hook and tattoos on his body. The other thing that these two stories have in common is that they feature a hidden creature inside a mountain. Woodall states that all these similarities may indicate that Disney probably took ideas from Bucky or was inspired directly by Bucky.

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Furthermore, Woodall adds that Moana 2 has plenty of common features with Bucky, for instance, a storyline in which the protagonist embarks on a journey to an ancient island and finds a way to lift a curse. In addition, the case further points out a very intriguing device of narration: a whirlpool-like oceanic portal, that is also depicted in both Bucky and Moana. That is an occurrence that Woodall finds it was just impossible to take place by mere coincidence.

Disney’s Defense: Originality of Moana

Disney has categorically denied the allegations. For its part, in the complaint filed, Disney argues that Moana was not developed from Woodall’s Bucky project. Instead, the company claims that the movie was independently created and not from Woodall’s materials.
Through a declaration to the court, Moana director Ron Clements states that he had never known of Bucky until the filing of the lawsuit. Disney has also released documents to attempt to demonstrate that Moana was developed, in fact, with initial ideas that had been born from the pre- pitch material and other research and travel journals which helped conclude the film. The lawyers at Disney argue that Moana was created based on original ideas and no one working on the film saw Woodall’s screenplay.

Precedent of Cases Based on Copyright Infringement

This is not the first lawsuit Buck Woodall has filed concerning his screenplay. Indeed, he has filed a case previous to this one against Disney for the first Moana movie. Still, last November, a court dismissed the case, saying that the complaint came in far too late. The court thought that there was a possibility of someone from Disney Animation having seen Woodall’s materials before Moana was developed, but the statute of limitations had run out on his initial claims.

Moana 2 was released in 2024; thus, this would be an easy chance for Woodall to bring new case actions against Disney because the sequel will definitely be considered an extension of the original film. Woodall asserts that by reason of repeated similarity between both Moana films and his Bucky project, he has justifications to file a renewed lawsuit.

Savings: $10 Billion Lawsuit

Woodall wants damages equal to 2.5% of Moana’s gross revenue. That is, $10 billion. This figure represents a very large portion of the film earnings since Moana grossed over $687 million in its global market, and Moana 2 achieved a box office record gross of $964 million.

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In addition to damages, Woodall is seeking an injunction against Disney from continuing to infringe on his intellectual property. This lawsuit, if successful, will be very significant in the entertainment industry regarding how intellectual property is dealt with and creative ideas are protected.

The Bigger Picture: Intellectual Property and the Entertainment Industry

This lawsuit reflects the ongoing problems with intellectual property in the entertainment world. With increasing competition for original ideas in Hollywood, the lines between inspiration and imitation have blurred. Many animators, screenwriters, and creators fear that their ideas will be borrowed or stolen by larger companies without proper credit or compensation.

Although it is normal for creative works to share themes or motifs, the unique case of similarities in Moana and Bucky—the character arcs, plot devices, and spiritual themes—raise intellectual property questions at the heart of the creative industry.

What’s Next for Disney and Buck Woodall?

As the court continues with its trial, Disney is being scrutinized, especially about the prospects of this major legal battle. While Disney maintains its position of innocence, Buck Woodall’s claims of intellectual property theft could set a significant legal precedent for future copyright cases in Hollywood. The final decision could have lasting effects not only on Disney but also on the way the industry handles creative works and copyright law in an era where originality is often questioned.

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It underlines the need for greater transparency in the protection of creative works, as well as a closer examination of how major studios like Disney handle the intellectual property of independent creators. With the legal proceeding on, it can be seen that this case is one to be watched by any interested party on the future of creativity and copyright in Hollywood.

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