Disney Wins Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Targeting Moana
Disney recently won a copyright infringement lawsuit targeting the hit movie Moana after a federal jury dismissed a copyright lawsuit claiming the studio borrowed ideas for the movie. The case was brought by writer and animator Buck Woodall. He alleged that Disney took inspiration from his project, Bucky the Surfer Boy, according to an Associated Press article. The Los Angeles jury took about 2.5 hours to rule in Disney’s favor, finding that the plaintiff presented no evidence that the Moana team ever had access to Woodall’s work.
Since the jury could not find proof that Disney’s film makers had ever come across Woodall’s work, they did not need to consider whether Moana and Bucky the Surfer Boy had any creative similarities. According to Woodall, in 2004, he shared his story outline with another party who was then working at Mandeville films. At the time, Mandeville had a first look deal with Disney and operated from the company’s Burbank studio lot. Woodall claimed he continued sending additional materials over the years and was shocked when Moana hit theaters in 2016. This is especially true since the film, which went on to gross nearly $700 million worldwide, felt similar to his own concept.
However, the party to whom Woodall sent his materials testified that she never shared Woodall’s work with Disney. The defense also presented messages showing that she had informed Woodall that she could not help with his project and eventually stopped responding to his follow-ups.
During closing arguments, Woodall’s attorney highlighted the similarities between Bucky the Surfer Boy and Moana. He alleged that both stories follow a young protagonist who sets out on a journey in an outrigger canoe across Polynesian waters to save their homeland. He further noted shared elements rooted in Polynesian culture, such as ancestral spirits taking the form of animal guides, as well as specific details like a necklace, celestial navigation, a lava goddess, and a colossal being disguised as an island.
Disney’s attorney, on the other hand, pushed back by arguing that elements of Polynesian mythology and familiar storytelling tropes cannot be copyrighted. Disney’s attorney also presented evidence that showed Moana’s development, which he said demonstrated the directors conceived the film independently.
Woodall’s lawsuit was first filed in 2020. He sought $100 million in damages. However, a court ruling in November 2024 significantly narrowed the case, leaving only Disney’s home video distributor as the defendants due to a timing issue with the original complaint. This is the second lawsuit Woodall has filed against Disney over Moana. He filed another suit in January of 2025, this time targeting Moana’s sequel. That case remains ongoing.
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Source:
news18.com/movies/disney-wins-moana-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-la-jury-finds-no-evidence-9257355.html
