Earlier this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced plans for a Moana sequel which is set to arrive in theaters this Thanksgiving. While these plans have generated excitement among Disney Animation fans, the movie initially seemed to come out of nowhere.
However, news of a Moana sequel TV series for Disney+ first surfaced in 2020, with the idea being for it to serve as a loose follow-up in the same way as the streamer's Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Up sequels. So, what changed?
Moana 2's shift from streaming to theaters was set in motion when Disney executives sat down to watch near-finished episodes of the series. Writer and director David G. Derrick Jr. seemingly exceeded expectations and the decision was made to combine the episodes into a single big screen tale.
Today, a new look at Moana 2 has been released which shows off the title character's updated appearance. It's hard to say for sure with an animated project, but we'd hazard a guess that at least a couple of years have passed since the events of the first movie.
Auli'i Cravalho has confirmed she'll return to voice Moana, which was her breakout role back in 2016, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is back as Maui. Hopefully, we'll get to see that fan-favourite demigod, trickster and shapeshifter soon!
A live-action Moana movie is also in the works, with The Rock set to play Maui there as well. Cravalho will not reprise the role but is serving as an executive producer on the project.
"I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength," she said last year. "I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent, to honor our incredible Pacific peoples cultures and communities that help inspire her story. And I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representations to come."
Walt Disney Animation Studios' epic animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa'i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina (Lin-Manuel Miranda won't be returning), Moana 2 opens in theaters on November. 27, 2024.