Disney faces new legal troubles surrounding its hit animated franchise Moana. Animator Buck Woodall filed a lawsuit on Friday in California federal court, claiming Disney plagiarized his screenplay for an animated film titled Bucky. The suit alleges that both Moana and its sequel drew heavily from Woodall’s work, which he says features strikingly similar themes, characters, and plot points.

Woodall’s earlier copyright lawsuit against Moana was dismissed in November after the court ruled that he had missed the statute of limitations. However, the release of Moana 2 has given him grounds to file a new claim. Woodall asserts that Disney copied numerous elements of Bucky, which is set in an ancient Polynesian village and follows a teenager defying parental expectations to embark on a perilous voyage involving spiritual encounters with animal spirits.

The new lawsuit draws attention to specific similarities between Bucky and Disney’s films, such as protagonists starting their journeys with turtles, the use of symbolic necklaces, and encounters with demigods adorned with hooks and tattoos. Both Moana 2 and Bucky, Woodall claims, involve missions to locate ancient islands and break curses. The complaint highlights dramatic sequences like a whirlpool-like oceanic portal, which Woodall contends mirrors his work too closely to be coincidental.

Woodall alleges that in 2003, he provided Bucky materials to Jenny Marchick, then director of development at Mandeville Films, a production company with a first-look deal with Disney. The materials included character designs, storyboards, and a trailer. Marchick reportedly expressed interest, requesting additional material and suggesting she could greenlight the project.

Despite the dismissal of his prior lawsuit due to timing, U.S. District Judge Consuelo Marshall noted at the time that a jury might have to decide whether Moana and Bucky were substantially similar, had the claim been timely. The judge also acknowledged the possibility that Disney personnel may have had access to Bucky materials before the development of Moana.

The judge's mention of access is crucial in a copyright claim because proving that the alleged infringer had the opportunity to view or obtain the original work strengthens the argument that similarities are not coincidental. In this case, Woodall alleges that Disney had access to Bucky materials through a former development executive at Mandeville Films, which had ties to Disney. Demonstrating access, combined with substantial similarities between the works, can support claims of copyright infringement, as it suggests that the accused work may have been derived from the original.

Disney has denied all allegations of copying, arguing that no one involved in Moana’s creation had access to or knowledge of Woodall’s work. Director Ron Clements, in a declaration, stated, “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.”

To bolster its defense, Disney submitted extensive documents showing Moana’s development process, including early story ideas, pitch materials, travel journals, and scripts. The company maintains that the movie is an independent creation inspired by Polynesian culture and mythology.

Woodall is seeking damages equivalent to 2.5% of Moana’s gross revenue or at least $10 billion. He is also requesting a court order to prevent further infringement of his copyrights.

Disney has not commented publicly on the new lawsuit.