A jury recently ruled in favor of Disney in a copyright case related to the animated film “Moana.” The trial lasted two weeks and concluded with the jury quickly deciding that Disney did not infringe on the work of screenwriter Buck Woodall.
Woodall claimed that “Moana” borrowed ideas from his story, “Bucky the Wave Warrior,” which he created in 2011. He pointed out similarities, such as both stories featuring teenagers defying their parents to embark on adventurous journeys. He also noted details like navigation by stars and a demigod character. Woodall argued that his screenplay was pitched to a Disney associate in 2004, but Disney countered that its film was created independently.
During the trial, the eight-member jury unanimously agreed that the Disney filmmakers had no access to Woodall’s screenplay or its earlier versions. Because of this finding, they did not need to determine whether the two stories were actually similar.
Disney highlighted many differences between the two works. For example, the main character Bucky is a white teenager from the U.S., while Moana is of Oceanian descent, living on a fictional island. The stories also differ significantly in their themes and character goals.
Earlier in November, a judge dismissed many of Woodall’s claims due to the statute of limitations, as “Moana” was released back in 2016. However, one claim still remains against Buena Vista Home Entertainment related to the DVD release in 2017.
After the verdict, Disney’s legal team chose not to comment. On the other hand, Woodall’s attorney expressed disappointment and indicated they would explore next steps. Additionally, Woodall has filed another lawsuit this January, claiming that “Moana 2” also infringes on his original screenplay. That case is still ongoing.
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