A filmmaker has initiated a lawsuit against Disney, accusing the company of copyright violation concerning the “Moana” series, asserting that the films share numerous parallels with a concept he developed years ago.

Buck Woodall, who is a writer, producer, and artist, lodged the lawsuit on Friday, January 10, claiming that The Walt Disney Company, Mandeville Films, and Jenny Marchick—who became the head of feature development at DreamWorks Animation in 2020—appropriated his ideas to produce “Moana.” Woodall’s legal action follows the recent release of “Moana 2,” which debuted in theaters in November 2024.

The lawsuit, acquired by YSL News, indicates that Woodall believes he deserves “at least $10 billion” in compensation and 2.5% of the gross revenues accrued by Disney from “Moana 2” and its associated merchandise, which he argues could sum up to “at least $5 billion.”

The first “Moana” film, which premiered in 2016, narrates the tale of a young girl on a quest to rescue her community. Throughout her adventure, Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) encounters the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) who aids her on a thrilling journey. “Moana 2” continues Moana and Maui’s adventures after Moana gets an unexpected call from her ancestors.

Both films achieved significant box office success, with the latest installment grossing $221 million during its five-day domestic opening, according to Disney, marking the highest Thanksgiving weekend earnings ever, as reported by YSL News.

Neither The Walt Disney Company nor NBC Universal, the owner of DreamWorks Animation, responded promptly to inquiries from YSL News regarding the lawsuit.

Here’s a breakdown of the lawsuit’s key elements.

Claims of ‘Breathtaking’ Similarities

The lawsuit argues that “Moana” and “Moana 2” are direct copies of Woodall’s original animated project titled “Bucky the Wave Warrior,” or “Bucky,” which was influenced by his distinctive exposure to Polynesian culture.

Woodall points out “breathtaking” resemblances between the works, including a narrative revolving around a teenager embarking on a perilous journey to save a Polynesian island, depictions of Polynesian ancestors as animal spirits, a significant necklace in the story, and a demigod characterized by a huge hook and tattoos assisting the main character, among other similarities.

According to the lawsuit, around 2003, Woodall began sharing his ideas for “Bucky” with Jenny Marchick, then the head of development at Mandeville Films, an independent production company in California. Marchick reportedly informed Woodall that the studio had a “first look” arrangement with Disney, allowing Mandeville to offer Disney exclusive access to their projects for potential acquisition.

Over several years, Woodall alleges that Marchick pressed him for more content related to “Bucky,” such as an animated trailer, storyboards, and a draft script, which he provided.

As stated in the lawsuit, Marchick notified Woodall just before the release of “Moana” that she was uncertain if his “Bucky” materials had been reviewed by Disney. However, Woodall claims that when he submitted his final script to Marchick in 2011, his materials had already been provided to Disney for the development of the first “Moana” movie.

Woodall has registered the “Bucky” materials, including a trailer, with the Writers Guild of America, securing federal copyright protections in 2004, which were renewed in 2014.

Woodall is pursuing a jury trial for his lawsuit.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow, YSL News

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross.