This is the new MLex platform. Existing customers should continue to use the existing MLex platform until migrated.
For any queries, please contact Customer Services or your Account Manager. Dismiss

Disney seeks $5.6 million, attorney sanctions in US ‘Moana’ copyright suit

By Nick Robertson ( April 23, 2025, 18:45 GMT | Insight) -- The Walt Disney Co. is seeking $5.6 million in attorneys fees from the plaintiff and over $500,000 in sanctions from his counsel after it was granted summary judgment on copyright and trade secret claims and its subsidiary fended off claims of copyright infringement over the hit film "Moana" at trial last month. Animator Buck Woodall claimed Moana was based on his intellectual property, suing Disney and its subsidiaries for $100 million in 2020. Disney argued in requesting the sanctions against Woodall’s attorneys that they made “vexatious” and duplicative filings, based claims on a forged confidentiality agreement and knowingly sued after the statute of limitations had expired.The Walt Disney Co. and co-defendants are attempting to recover $5.6 million in attorney fees from animator Buck Woodall and over $500,000 in sanctions from his counsel after Woodall’s claim that the hit film "Moana" was based on his intellectual property was defeated at trial last month....

Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today

MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term.


Know what others in the room don’t, with features including:

  • Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more
  • Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs
  • Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific
  • Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline

Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.

Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber? Click here to login

Related Sections