As Moana 2 gets ever-closer to earning US$1 billion at the box office, franchise owner Disney could be facing some choppy legal waters.

A new lawsuit filed in a California federal court on Friday has accused the studio of stealing the core premise from animator Buck Woodall, author of an animated film screenplay for Bucky, which also revolves around a teen protagonist in a Polynesian setting who sets off on a daring voyage to break a curse.  

Woodall tried to sue Disney in 2022 over alleged similarities between his concept and the first Moana movie, but his case was dismissed with a court ruling that too much time had passed since the film’s release in 2016. But Moana 2—which hit theaters in November 2024—paved the way for a revival of the suit. 

The animator is seeking US$10 billion in damages (which the suit estimates is equivalent to 2.5% of Disney’s share of the IP’s global revenue) and a court order to prevent further infringement. 

Woodall’s complaint outlines that Bucky, his passion project, was significantly shaped by his “unique exposure to Polynesian culture—including living on Hanalei Bay for approximately a decade—as well as his expenditure of more than US$500,000 in personally creating, writing and developing a theatrical motion-picture package associated with [the project].”

Much of the lawsuit has to do with a relationship Woodall says he had with Jenny Marchick, a former director of development at Mandeville Films who currently serves as DreamWorks Animation’s head of feature film development. After an initial meeting with Marchick, Woodall says he prepared and submitted elements of his package (including the screenplay and a trailer) to her. The lawsuit alleges that Marchick pushed for Woodall to submit additional materials (character designs and storyboards, among other things) by assuring that she could help commercialize the project.

More specific similarities pointed out between Bucky and Moana include a symbolic necklace that plays a crucial plot role, a demigod who turns into various creatures (such as a Polynesian hawk and shark), and a journey taken by the main character that starts with a turtle. The suit also claims that both Moana films lifted other character elements (her pig and rooster companions on the canoe), visual imagery (the “whirlpool-like oceanic portal” in the second film) and overarching themes (like the spiritualism of Moana experiencing profound ancestral connections) from Woodall’s premise.

Moana 2 has earned nearly US$990 million in worldwide ticket sales so far. And Disney is busy prepping a live-action adaptation of the first movie that’s due out next year.