Disney wins 'Moana' copyright lawsuit, didn't steal idea for hit film
A federal jury ruled in Disney's favor on Monday, delivering a swift verdict in a copyright lawsuit case in which a man claimed the company stole his ideas to make the hit film 'Moana.'
Disney wins Moana copyright lawsuit, didn't steal idea for hit film
The lawsuit was first filed in 2020, and Woodall was seeking $100 million in damages.By
Lauren Huff
Published on March 10, 2025 10:33PM EDT
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'Moana'. Photo:
Disney
A federal jury ruled in Disney's favor on Monday, delivering a swift verdict in a copyright lawsuit case in which a man claimed the company stole his ideas to make the hit film Moana.
According to the Associated Press, the Los Angeles-based jury only deliberated for about 2.5 hours before determining that the Moana team didn't have access to writer and animator Buck Woodall’s script or outlines for his project, “Bucky the Surfer Boy,” which was never developed.
Because of this determination, the jury — which was tasked with watching Moana as well as looking over Woodall's "Bucky" story outline created in 2003, a 2008 update, and a 2011 script — didn't have to consider any similarities between the two works in the case, per the report.
Woodall claimed that circa 2004, he gave his story outline to Jenny Marchick, the stepsister of his brother’s wife. Marchick worked for Mandeville Films, which had a first-look deal with Disney, as well as offices on the Burbank, Calif., Disney lot at the time of Marchick's dealings with Woodall. He testified that he sent her follow-up materials throughout the years, and was struck by the similarities when he saw Moana upon its release in 2016. (The film would go on to gross nearly $700 million at the global box office.)
'Moana'.
Disney
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But, Marchick testified during the trial that she never showed it to anyone at Disney. Additionally, according to the AP, messages shared by the defense showed she told Woodall she couldn't help him with the project, and eventually ignored his followups to her.
In his closing arguments, Woodall's attorney, Gustavo Lage, pointed out some of the things "Bucky" and Moana have in common. Like "Bucky," Moana follows a teenager on a voyage in an outrigger canoe across Polynesian waters to save Polynesian land. It features the Polynesian belief in spiritual ancestors who manifest as animal guides, and a number of specifics including a symbolic necklace, navigation by stars, a lava goddess, and a giant creature disguised as a mountainous island.
Disney's attorney, Moez Kaba, argued things such as Polynesian lore and "staples of literature" were "not copyrightable." Lawyers for the company also reportedly submitted thousands of pages of development documents, which Kaba argued showed every part of the process of Moana creators John Musker and Ron Clements making the film.
“They had no idea about 'Bucky',” Kaba said of Musker and Clements in his closing statements. “They had never seen it, never heard of it.”
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Attorneys for Disney reportedly declined to comment outside the courtroom after the verdict. Woodall's attorney, Lage, meanwhile, said, "Obviously we’re disappointed. We’re going to review our options and think about the best path forward.”
Auli‘i Cravalho returns to voice the titular heroine in 'Moana 2'.
Disney
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When reached for comment by Entertainment Weekly, Lage added, "Our position, at the moment, is to reflect on the verdict, the evidence, the trial rulings and to determine what legal remedies may be available to our client."
A rep for Disney didn't immediately respond to EW's request for additional comment on Monday.
The lawsuit was first filed in 2020, and Woodall was seeking $100 million in damages, but a court ruling last November narrowed the scope to only involve Disney's home video distribution, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, because the filing would have come too late. It is one of two lawsuits brought by the plaintiff. Woodall also sued the Mouse House in January, with the substance of his argument there focusing on Moana's sequel released in November 2024. That suit is still active.
