English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Entertainment

Disney faces $10 billion lawsuit: Animator says Moana 2 creators stole his ideas

Buck Woodall initiated the copyright infringement lawsuit in California federal court on Friday, claiming that Disney borrowed several elements from his long-existing screenplay for an animated film titled Bucky without his permission.

Published

on

An animator has filed a remarkable $10 billion lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the company plagiarized his concept for the Moana franchise. Buck Woodall initiated the copyright infringement lawsuit in California federal court on Friday, claiming that Disney borrowed several elements from his long-existing screenplay for an animated film titled Bucky without his permission.

In his lawsuit, Woodall argues that Disney’s Moana franchise bears “breathtaking” similarities to his script for Bucky the Wave Warrior, which draws inspiration from his “unique exposure” to Polynesian culture. According to the lawsuit, both stories follow “a teenager who defies parental warnings and embarks on a perilous journey,” as reported by People.

Woodall has also included production company Mandeville Films and Jenny Marchick, the former head of feature development at DreamWorks Animation, in the lawsuit. He asserts that he pitched his Polynesian-themed film idea to Marchick and her then-employer, Mandeville Films, in 2003. The lawsuit claims that Marchick shared Woodall’s copyrighted materials with Disney.

The animator is seeking “at least $ 10 billion.” Woodall’s complaint includes the allegation that on “the eve of the release of Moana” in 2016, Marchick allegedly claimed that none of the materials he had sent her “made it beyond her desk.”

However, Woodall contends that Disney already possessed his content when he submitted the final draft of Bucky to her in 2011. The lawsuit further argues that both protagonists from Moana and Bucky journey across Polynesian waters to rescue an “endangered” island. Additional similarities cited between the two films include “ancient spirits manifested as animals that guide and protect the living,” among various others.

In a separate development, Marvel president Kevin Feige, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and director Tim Miller have become entangled in an ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Recently, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, issued a litigation hold letter to Kevin and Bob regarding the actor’s “anticipated claims” against Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, and others. According to Variety, Justin has now requested that the studio preserve all pertinent documents and data related to the case.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Dhurandhar 2 bags massive OTT deal, likely to stream on JioHotstar after IPL 2026

Dhurandhar 2 lands a Rs 155 crore OTT deal with JioHotstar and may release after IPL 2026.

Published

on

Dhurandhar

The upcoming Bollywood film Dhurandhar 2 has reportedly secured a significant OTT deal, underlining its strong market buzz ahead of release. According to media reports, the film’s digital streaming rights have been acquired by JioHotstar for approximately Rs 155 crore.

The makers are expected to follow a strategic release plan, with the film likely to premiere on the platform after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. JioHotstar also holds digital streaming rights for the tournament, and the post-IPL window is seen as an effort to retain audience engagement.

Reports suggest that the film could arrive on OTT in late May or early June 2026, depending on its theatrical release schedule and run. However, there is no official confirmation yet regarding the exact streaming date.

Industry observers note that the reported deal highlights the growing demand for big-ticket Hindi films among streaming platforms, especially those expected to draw strong audience interest.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Ramayana teaser unveiled as Ranbir Kapoor appears as Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s epic film

The teaser of Ramayana has been released, showing Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. The film will release in two parts in 2026 and 2027.

Published

on

Ramayana Teaser

The teaser of Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana has been released, offering the first glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Rama. The film, which is planned as a two-part cinematic project, is scheduled for a Diwali release later this year.

The teaser shows several key moments, including scenes from the coronation and the exile period in the forest of Panchavati. Ranbir Kapoor appears in the role of Rama with a calm and composed presence. The teaser also briefly shows Yash in the role of Ravan towards the end.

Ahead of the teaser launch, Alia Bhatt shared a video message on social media asking audiences to support the project and Ranbir Kapoor’s work on the film. In the video, she said the “Rama unit” video would be released and encouraged audiences to watch and support the film.

Budget and scale

Producer Namit Malhotra said the film has been in development for six to seven years and is being made on a large scale. According to him, the total budget for both parts is around $500 million, which is over Rs 4,000 crore combined.

He said the film is being made for a global audience and aims to present the epic on a large cinematic scale while remaining efficient in production.

Music collaboration

The film’s music is being composed through a collaboration between AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Rahman said working on a project based on such an iconic epic is challenging, as the team wants to present something new while respecting the importance of the story.

Release plan and cast

The film will be released in two parts. The first part is scheduled for a worldwide release in October 2026 ahead of Diwali, while the second part is planned for release during Diwali 2027.

Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, the film also stars Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey and Yash in important roles.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Dhurandhar 2 box office collection day 7 crosses Rs 600 crore in India

Dhurandhar 2 continues its strong box office run, crossing Rs 600 crore in India and Rs 1000 crore worldwide within its first week.

Published

on

Dhurandhar 2 review

Ranveer Singh’s film Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has crossed the Rs 600 crore mark at the India box office within seven days of its release, according to trade estimates. The film has maintained a strong run in both mass centres and urban markets during its first week.

As per trade figures, the film’s India net box office collection stands at around Rs 623 crore after seven days, while the gross domestic collection is estimated to be over Rs 740 crore. The film has also performed strongly in overseas markets, taking its international collection to more than Rs 250 crore. With this, the worldwide box office total has crossed Rs 1,000 crore within the first week of release, as per trade estimates.

Day-wise performance in India

The film opened strongly on March 19 with box office collections of over Rs 100 crore. The film continued to perform well over the next few days, collecting around Rs 80 crore on Day 2 and over Rs 110 crore on Day 3. Collections remained strong over the weekend, followed by an expected drop on weekdays. By Day 7, the film collected around Rs 47 crore, taking the total India net collection past Rs 600 crore.

Overseas performance and comparison

The film has also reported strong performance in overseas markets, particularly in the UK and other key international territories. With the worldwide collection crossing Rs 1,000 crore in the first week, the film is being compared to the fast global box office pace seen by Pushpa 2: The Rule in terms of early box office momentum, according to trade observers.

About the film

Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is the sequel to the 2025 film Dhurandhar. The sequel features Ranveer Singh along with Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt in key roles.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com