Disney has been sued for allegedly copying the idea for Moana and Moana 2 just over a week before Academy Awards nominations were set to be announced, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
As of Monday, 12 January, Moana 2 is close to grossing US$1 billion at the global box office.
Animator Buck Woodall filed a lawsuit in California federal court on Friday claiming Disney ripped off elements of a screenplay he wrote for an animated film called “Bucky”.
Woodall seeking damage to 2.5% of Moana’s gross revenue or $10 billion alongside a court order barring further infringement of his copyrights.
The screenplay for Bucky originated in 2003 and followed a similar plot to Moana and its sequel. It takes place in a Polynesian village and tells the story of a headstrong teenager on a journey to break a curse where they meet spirit animals, and come across a magic demigod with a signature hook and shapeshifting abilities alongside a string of other similarities.
In 2003, Woodall presented the screenplay for Bucky to a Mandeville Films director of development who at the time had a first look with Disney. Disney has put forth material to prove the originality of the Moana films.
“Moana was not inspired by or based in any way on [Woodall] or his ‘Bucky’ project, which I learned of for the first time after this lawsuit was filed,” Ron Clements said in a declaration of the court.
The timing of the lawsuit comes as award nominations for the Oscars are right around the corner. The drama could cost Moana 2 nominations in the Best Animated Film and Best Orginal Song categories.
Disney's (NYSE: DIS) stock price is US$108.64, and its market capitalisation is approximately US$196.76 billion.