A jury sided with Disney, rejecting claims that "Moana" was based on Buck Woodall’s story. Here's what we know.

On March 10, 2025, a federal jury delivered a verdict in favor of Disney in a closely watched copyright infringement lawsuit.

The jury took less than three hours to decide that Buck Woodall had failed to support his claim that the makers of ...

Plaintiff Buck Woodall contended he'd passed his materials to a contact who worked on a Disney lot. Disney creators John Musker and Ron Clements say they never saw Woodall's materials. A separate suit ...

Animator Buck Woodall continues to pursue a copyright trial over the sequel to the 2016 hit, though the jury's decision in this case may indicate he faces an uphill battle.

A jury has determined that Moana creators knew nothing about a fellow Hawaii set & Polynesian demigods featuring idea & did ...

A jury on Monday cleared Disney of a copyright infringement claim involving 'Moana,' which was brought by the author of ...

A Los Angeles federal jury ruled on Monday that Disney did not steal the idea for its massive hit film “Moana” from animator Buck Woodall.

Was “Moana” based on a boy named Bucky ... whose sequel was among the biggest hits of last year. Buck Woodall wrote a script, whose various titles have included “Bucky the Surfer Boy ...

The jury’s decision revolved primarily around the finding that Disney never saw Woodall’s work, which meant they did not have to consider the alleged similarities between Bucky and Moana.