On Monday, a federal jury ruled in favor of Disney, rapidly dismissed a copyright trial in which a writer alleged that the company took his views to create its views. MoannaAs reported by the Associated Press, a jury in Los Angeles reached its decision in just 2.5 hours, concluding that the team behind Moana had never access to reach Baki surfer boyA project developed by writer and animator Bak Woodle.
Since the jury found no evidence that the filmmakers of Disney had seen Woodle’s work, they did not need to analyze whether the two projects shared any creative similarities. Woodle claimed that around 2004, he gave Jenny march outlined his story, who was then working in Mandville Films. At that time, Mandville had a first look with Disney and maintained offices at the company’s Barabank Studio Lot. Woodle testified that he had sent additional material in the years that were after this and when it was stunned by equality. Moanna It was released in 2016 – a film that grossed around $ 700 million worldwide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkfuxetzusi
However, Marchik said during the test that he never passed Woodle’s work with Disney. Raksha presented messages, informing Woodle that she could not help her with her project and later stopped responding to her follow -up.
In closing arguments, Woodle’s lawyer, Gustavo Lege told the story elements that Baki surfer boy And Moanna share. He said that both of them prepare a young hero for a journey in an outriger canoe in the Polynesian water to save their motherland. Stories also include polynesian traditions, including ancestral souls that appear as animal guides, and are hidden as a meaningful necklace, navigation by stars, a lava goddess, and a large -scale hidden as an island.
Disney’s lawyer, Moise Kaaba, claimed aspects of the Polynesian mythology and general literary trops, saying “is not copyright.” The company’s legal team also presented extensive documentation giving details of the development process MoannaJoe Kaaba argued that directors John Muskar and Ron Clements made the film independently. “He had no idea about ‘Baki’,” Kaaba said in his closing comments. “They never saw it, never heard about it.”
Woodle originally sued in 2020, demanding $ 100 million in the loss. However, in November 2024, a court limited the case, which reduced Disney’s home video distributor, Buena Vista Home Entertainment due to a time issue with the original complaint. The lawsuit is one of two filed by Woodol – he launched another case in January 2025, focusing on the sequel of Moana, which was released in November 2024. This case continues.
