Los Angeles, California – A jury swiftly rejected claims that Disney’s “Moana” was plagiarized from a story by writer and animator Buck Woodall. The Los Angeles federal jury concluded that the creators of “Moana” did not have access to Woodall’s works for “Bucky the Surfer Boy.” The decision was made after just 2 ½ hours of deliberation, with the jury ruling that there was no evidence of Disney having seen or used Woodall’s outlines and script.
During the trial, Woodall’s attorney contended that the numerous similarities between “Bucky the Surfer Boy” and “Moana” were too significant to be coincidental. However, the defense lawyer for Disney argued that “Moana” was the original creation of John Musker and Ron Clements, the acclaimed writers and directors of several Disney classics.
Woodall had previously shared his work with a relative’s stepsister who worked on the Disney lot, but she testified that she never relayed his materials to anyone at Disney. Despite Woodall’s disappointment with the jury’s decision, he and his attorney are considering their options moving forward after the verdict.
The jury, comprised of six women and two men, watched “Moana” in its entirety and examined the outlines and script for “Bucky” created by Woodall in the early 2000s. Woodall’s lawsuit was filed too late to claim any share of the profits from “Moana,” but a separate lawsuit concerning “Moana 2” remains pending.
While Woodall’s attorney highlighted the similarities between the two works, Disney’s attorney emphasized that many elements such as Polynesian lore and shape-shifting characters are not unique to Woodall’s story. The defense argued that the development process for “Moana” was based on Musker and Clements’ own inspiration and creativity.
Ultimately, the jury’s decision casts doubt on the claims of plagiarism made by Woodall, indicating that Disney’s “Moana” was the result of the filmmakers’ original vision and storytelling. The case sheds light on the complexities of intellectual property disputes in the entertainment industry, emphasizing the challenges of proving allegations of creative theft.