Disney Faces Ten Billion Dollar Lawsuit Over Claims They Stole Moana from Copyrighted Script: But Are They Likely to Lose?

The media conglomerate, Disney, is embroiled in a $10 billion legal dispute alleging that significant portions of Moana and its sequel were taken from another author. However, predicting whether Disney will ultimately lose or choose to settle this case requires careful analysis of the evidence and the legal complexities involved.

Film animator Buck Woodall has initiated a high-value lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the “Moana” series, including the recent “Moana 2” released in November 2024, was developed from his screenplay “Bucky the Wave Warrior” without his permission. Woodall asserts that Jenny Marchick, a former Mandeville Films development director, clandestinely shared his confidential materials with Disney, resulting in the production of these films. He highlights several striking resemblances between his work and the “Moana” movies, including Polynesian motifs, animal companions, and specific narrative elements.

Generally speaking, studios like Disney seldom lose copyright infringement lawsuits due to their ample legal resources and stringent measures ensuring originality and adherence to copyright laws. For example, in 2020, Disney successfully defended against a copyright claim for the film “Inside Out.” The court found no significant resemblance between Disney’s work and the plaintiff’s. In the popular podcast Renegade Online, lawyers like Ron Coleman and entertainment analysts such as Tom Connors struggle to recall any instances where a major studio like Disney has lost such lawsuits during modern Hollywood, especially on the scale of the Moana case.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that there have been a few hiccups here and there. One notable instance happened in 2022 when Disney found itself embroiled in a five-year legal battle over the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. The claim was that Disney had violated someone’s screenplay, and when the court refused to grant Disney a summary judgment, it seemed like the case was headed for a lengthy trial. However, thankfully, the two parties managed to reach a confidential settlement off the record.

Animation specialist Buck Woodall has initiated a multi-billion dollar legal action against Disney, claiming that Disney’s production of Moana and its sequel were based on his original screenplay.#Disney #Bucky #MoanaSequel

— Business Standard (@bsindia) January 13, 2025

In the case of “Disney Enterprises, Inc. v. VidAngel, Inc.”, Disney (the giant in the industry) took on VidAngel (a smaller company) in a copyright infringement lawsuit. The court’s decision was in favor of Disney, issuing a preliminary injunction against VidAngel. This scenario can be seen as the big fish, Disney, engaging in legal combat with a much smaller entity, VidAngel.

The final decision in Woodall’s lawsuit against the entertainment industry is still up in the air. Typically, these types of cases favor the companies, but the particular facts and evidence presented will be key in deciding the outcome. It’s important to mention that an earlier attempt by Woodall to sue over the initial 2016 “Moana” film was rejected due to timing concerns, but the sequel’s release has opened up a new avenue for litigation. However, Woodall’s accusations focus on Disney allegedly creating a demigod character with tattoos and a large hook – a claim that might find resistance since Maui is a well-known figure in Polynesian mythology who bears tattoos and wields a giant hook. This author suspects that Woodall may need a stronger argument than just the tools associated with Maui to win his case, and even then, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll receive a massive financial reward any time soon.

Is it feasible for a resolution to occur? It’s plausible, but should such an event happen, it’s highly unlikely that specific details would be disclosed. In fact, such an outcome appears quite distant.

2025-01-13 19:55

Read More