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Disney won the March 2025 jury trial over claims that the 2016 film Moana copied Buck Woodall’s project, Bucky the Surfer Boy. The jury found that the film’s creators had not accessed Woodall’s work. It therefore did not decide whether the two works were substantially similar.
What did the jury decide?
The Los Angeles federal jury returned its verdict on March 10, 2025, after a two-week trial. It found that the creators of Moana had not accessed Woodall’s outlines and script. The Associated Press reported that deliberations lasted about two and a half hours. The Associated Press’s account of the verdict describes the jury’s decision.
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Access was decisive: because the jury found the filmmakers had not encountered Woodall’s work, it did not need to decide whether the works were substantially similar. So the verdict was a win for Disney on the access issue in this trial, not a jury finding that Moana and Bucky were dissimilar.
What did Woodall claim, and what evidence was presented?
Woodall alleged that Disney drew from his Bucky the Surfer Boy project. He said he developed materials over several years, including a 2003 outline, an updated outline from 2008, and a 2011 script. He said he shared an early outline with Jenny Marchick around 2004 and later sent her additional materials. Marchick worked at Mandeville Films, which was located on the Disney lot, but testified that she did not show Woodall’s materials to anyone at Disney.
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- 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.
Woodall’s lawyer pointed to similarities he said the works shared, including a Polynesian setting, an ocean quest, demigods, shape-shifting figures, and animal helpers. Disney’s lawyer argued that the filmmakers had not seen Bucky and that Polynesian lore and familiar story devices are not copyrightable on their own. Those were opposing arguments, not separate jury findings about similarity.
How is this different from the earlier ruling about receipts?
The original action began in 2020 and involved a separate timeliness issue. The Associated Press reported that a judge had ruled Woodall sued too late to claim a share of Moana receipts. That ruling and the March 2025 jury verdict addressed different questions: the earlier decision concerned the timing of a claim for receipts, while the trial resolved whether the filmmakers had accessed Woodall’s work.
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Is the Moana 2 lawsuit the same case?
No. Woodall filed a separate suit concerning Moana 2. The Associated Press reported in March 2025 that the sequel case remained separate and active at that time. That report does not establish the case’s status as of October 4, 2026; the status should be checked against the current court docket before describing it as active or concluded.
What happened after the verdict?
Courthouse News Service reported that the court later awarded Disney $54,000 in costs and declined the larger attorney-fee request described in its report. It said the court considered the costs award sufficient to deter unreasonable copyright claims. The jury itself had not decided substantial similarity. Courthouse News Service’s report on the costs award covers that post-verdict decision.
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- 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.
In December 2025, Bloomberg Law reported that Disney defeated Woodall’s bid for a new trial in the original case. Bloomberg Law’s report describes that development; consult the court order for its precise procedural language and legal reasoning.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did the parties say after the verdict?
Disney said it was “incredibly proud of the collective work that went into the making of Moana” and pleased that the jury found the film “had nothing to do with Plaintiff’s works,” according to the Associated Press. That was Disney’s statement, not a judicial quotation.
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In closing argument, Disney lawyer Moez Kaba said, “They had no idea about Bucky,” as reported by the Associated Press. After the verdict, Woodall lawyer Gustavo Lage said, “Obviously we’re disappointed.” These statements reflect the lawyers’ advocacy and reaction, not additional jury findings.
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- 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.
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