Moana 2: The Copyright Lawsuit Against Disney, Explained

Disney’s Moana 2 hit choppy waters recently, after animator Buck Woodall filed a lawsuit against the animated blockbuster alleging copyright infringement. Read on for a full breakdown of the Moana 2 copyright lawsuit (including Disney’s response to Woodall’s claims) below!

The Moana 2 Copyright Lawsuit, Explained

As reported by multiple outlets (including The Independent), Buck Woodall brought a copyright suit against Disney over Moana 2 in January 2025. Woodall claims that both the original Moana and its sequel cribbed key elements from his unrealized project, Bucky, without his permission. According to Woodall’s filing, Disney gained access to Bucky‘s screenplay, demo trailer, and other development materials through Jenny Marchick, then a development director at Mandeville Films (which has co-produced several films with Disney over the years).

As evidence of this, Woodall’s copyright lawsuit highlights several similarities between Bucky and the Moana films. They include:

• Narratives revolving around teenage protagonists from a Polynesian island embarking on a quest to save their home.
• Both protagonists taking on rooster and pig pets.
• Encounters with the Kakamora tribe, as well as set pieces involving a whirlpool-like portal.

Related: Disney Being Sued For Use of Peter Cushing’s Likeness in Rogue One

Woodall further contends that he copyrighted Bucky in 2004, and re-upped this protection in 2014. So, if he can prove that Marchick did indeed pass on materials related to the unmade movie to Disney, and that Disney used them, it could be a costly day in court for the studio. Apart from a ban on further copyright infringement, Woodall’s seeking 2.5% of Moana‘s gross revenue. That shakes out at $10 billion – a massive sum of money even Disney would miss!

This is Woodall’s second attempt to take the House of Mouse to court over the Moana property. In November 2024, a California court ruled that Woodall filed his previous suit – targeting the first Moana flick, released in 2016 – too late.

What Has Disney Said About the Moana 2 Lawsuit?

As you’d expect, both Disney and Moana‘s creative team are denying Woodall’s copyright infringement allegations. When Woodall filed his first suit, the studio stumped up all manner of production documents to support its position that Moana‘s development had nothing to do with Bucky.

Related: Disney Speedstorm Codes (January 2025)

Co-director Ron Clements also provided a declaration insisting that Bucky had zero influence on the franchise’s inception. “Moana was not inspired by or based in any way on [Woodall] or his Bucky project which I learned of for the first time after this lawsuit was filed,” Clements’ declaration said.

Moana 2 is currently in cinemas.