Disney wins 'Moana' lawsuit, but another legal battle still looms
What's the story
There is finally a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between Disney and Buck Woodall, the creator of the story Bucky the Surfer Boy.
On Monday, a Los Angeles jury ruled in Disney's favor, stating that the company and the primary creators of Moana, John Musker, and Ron Clements, weren't privy to Woodall's work when they created the 2016 animated feature.
However, the matter isn't settled yet as Woodall has filed a separate lawsuit over Moana 2.
Disney's statement
Disney spokesperson expressed pride in 'Moana's creation
After the verdict, a Disney spokesperson said they were proud of the collective work that went into Moana.
They said, "We are incredibly proud of the making of Moana and are pleased that the jury found it had nothing to do with Plaintiff's works."
Meanwhile, Woodall's attorney, Gustavo D. Lage said, "We are disappointed in the verdict. At present, we are weighing our options to determine the best path forward regarding the legal remedies available to our client."
Similarity dispute
Woodall's claim centers on 'Bucky the Surfer Boy'
Ultimately, the case turned on whether Musker, Clements, or any other principal had ever seen Woodall's Bucky materials.
The jury concluded that they did not know Bucky, according to Disney outside counsel Moez Kaba.
"They had no idea about Bucky," Kaba said of the Little Mermaid and Aladdin filmmakers in his closing argument. "They had never seen it, never heard of it."
Sequel lawsuit
Woodall's ongoing legal battle over 'Moana 2'
In a new case, Woodall alleges a distant relative aided him in the work.
He claims he shared his copyright-protected Bucky the Surfer Boy trailer storyboards, "intellectual property and trade secrets" (including a 2011 finished script), with Jenny Marchick who worked at Mandeville Films, a company located on the Disney lot.
Woodall's January lawsuit seeks $10 billion from Disney or about 2.5% of the gross from the 2024 sensation which grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
Testimony
Marchick's testimony and Woodall's copyright claim
Marchick, now head of development for features at NBCUniversal-owned DreamWorks Animation, testified she has no memory of ever showing any of Woodall's Bucky the Surfer Boy material to anyone at Disney.
She did, however, secure Woodall a job interview with a Disney Channel staffer for an animating gig.
Woodall's lawsuit claims Marchick masterminded a scheme to steal all components of his copyrighted materials and support her career in the movie industry.
Future proceedings
No trial date set for 'Moana 2' case
However, Marchick, who is Woodall's brother's sister-in-law, testified that she has no recollection of showing any of Woodall's materials to anyone at Disney.
Disney's attorney Kaba claimed that there was no evidence Marchick ever worked on Moana or received any credit or compensation for it.
No trial date has been set for the Moana 2 copyright infringement case.