Disney is being sued over Moana 2. The 2024 movie is a sequel to their 2016 smash hit and follows Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) gathering a crew for a new seafaring adventure that brings her face to face once more with her former demigod companion Maui (Dwayne Johnson).
Animator Buck Woodall claims Moana 2 infringes on his Bucky screenplay, demanding a part of the movie’s earnings
The animated musical was an instant smash hit, eventually climbing to a worldwide gross of $964 million, which has made it the fourth highest-grossing movie of 2024 so far.
Disney is embroiled in a legal battle after animator Buck Woodall filed a $10 billion lawsuit, claiming that Moana 2 infringes on his 2003 screenplay for Bucky according to Screenrant.
Woodall argues that key elements from his screenplay, which he submitted to Mandeville Films (a company with a first-look deal with Disney), are mirrored in Moana 2. The lawsuit seeks 2.5% of the film’s gross revenue or $10 Billion as damages.
Woodall points to several striking similarities between the two works. These include:
- A Polynesian village setting
- A teenage girl embarking on an oceanic journey
- A hook-wielding demigod as a supporting character
- A turtle-driven adventure
- A symbolic necklace central to the plot
- A large creature hidden in a mountain
- A perilous whirlpool-like portal
Woodall claims that these elements could not have been developed independently, as they directly resemble his Bucky project.
Disney has provided a bunch of documentation
Documentation to support its allegations, including pitch materials, scripts, research, and travel journals describing the creative process behind Moana.
Disney has also stated that no one involved in making Moana was privy to Woodall’s material. Nonetheless, U.S. District Judge Consuelo Marshall ruled in November 2024 that genuine issues of fact exist as to whether any of the alleged similarities between Bucky and Moana exist.
‘Moana 2’ Review
Eight years ago, Moana (impressively voiced by Auli’i Cravalho), the strong-willed Polynesian wayfinder — don’t call her a princess — made a splash with her eponoymous Disney debut. Her unique oceanic adventure with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson in top form) earned over $665 million worldwide for the studio and snagged an Oscar nomination for best animated movie. But it was the heroine’s charm and stubborn determination to save her people from ecological disaster that gave Moana its most enduring qualities.
As with all commercially viable Disney properties, Moana was fated for franchise. Four years after the original’s success, Disney announced plans for an animated television series. Then they scrapped that idea in favor of a more traditional cinematic sequel and dropped news of a forthcoming live-action remake.
Who are the new characters in Moana 2?
New additions include:
- Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Moana’s new sister
- Rose Matafeo
- David Fane
- Hualālai Chung as members of Moana’s wayfinding crew