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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Disney won a jury verdict in the original lawsuit over the 2016 film Moana: jurors found that its filmmakers did not access Buck Woodall’s Bucky materials. They did not decide whether the works were substantially similar. Woodall filed a separate complaint alleging that Moana 2 copied his work, but that filing alone does not prove infringement or establish the case’s current status.
What did the jury decide in the original Moana case?
On March 10, 2025, a federal jury found that the creators of Moana had not accessed Woodall’s Bucky outlines and screenplay. Access is one part of an infringement claim; because jurors found it was not established, they did not need to decide whether the works were substantially similar.
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So the verdict was for Disney on the issue the jury considered, not a finding that every aspect of Moana and Bucky was dissimilar. The Associated Press reported that the jury deliberated for about 2½ hours. Afterward, Woodall’s attorney Gustavo Lage said, “Obviously we’re disappointed.” Disney said it was pleased with the verdict.
How did the original lawsuit reach a jury?
- April 2020: Woodall filed a federal lawsuit alleging copyright infringement and related claims concerning Moana.
- November 1, 2024: The court dismissed Woodall’s trade-secret, fraud, and false-promises claims as time-barred under a three-year limitations period. It also found copyright claims against defendants other than Buena Vista Home Entertainment time-barred. The court’s later account of the case says Woodall suspected infringement after seeing Moana in theaters in December 2016, but did not sue until April 2020.
- March 10, 2025: The remaining issue tried to the jury concerned whether the filmmakers had access to Woodall’s materials. Jurors found they did not.
The limitations ruling and jury verdict were different decisions: the former barred most claims because of when Woodall knew of the alleged copying and when he sued; the latter resolved the access question that went to trial.
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#1 Best Overall
- The main character will be Moana Waialiki, a sea voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her family needs her help, she sets off on an epic journey. The film will also include demi-gods and spirits taken from real mythology.
What is the separate Moana 2 complaint?
Woodall filed a separate complaint on January 10, 2025, alleging that Moana 2 copied elements of his project and seeking damages and an injunction. Those are allegations and requested remedies in a complaint, not findings that Disney infringed copyright.
The filing does not establish whether that separate case is still pending, has been dismissed, settled, or otherwise resolved. Its status as of October 8, 2026, cannot be confirmed without a current court-docket entry, so it should not be described as definitively active or resolved.
Rank #2
- Walt Disney Animation Studios? animated musical reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After hearing from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey into long-lost waters for an adventure. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
| Issue | Original Moana case | Separate Moana 2 complaint |
|---|---|---|
| What the record described here establishes | The jury found no access to Woodall’s materials; it did not decide substantial similarity. | The January 10, 2025 complaint alleges copying and requests damages and injunctive relief; those allegations are not findings. |
| Procedural status | The jury trial on access ended with a verdict for Disney on March 10, 2025. | Not established by the complaint; a current docket is needed. |
What fees and sanctions followed the original litigation?
In 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California awarded Disney $1.6 million in attorney fees for defending the trade-secret claims and $54,000 in costs for copyright defense, rather than the additional $3.9 million Disney sought. The court also sanctioned Woodall’s attorney Gustavo Lage $476,000.
Courthouse News reported that the judge cited bad-faith conduct, including a forged confidentiality agreement and continued litigation of claims the court had found time-barred. These are consequences of the original litigation; they do not determine the merits or present status of the separate Moana 2 complaint.
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Rank #4
- The main character will be Moana Waialiki, a sea voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her family needs her help, she sets off on an epic journey. The film will also include demi-gods and spirits taken from real mythology.
Rank #3
- The main character will be Moana Waialiki, a sea voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her family needs her help, she sets off on an epic journey. The film will also include demi-gods and spirits taken from real mythology.
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