The first trailer has been released for Moana 2 ahead of the movie's release in theaters this November.
This sneak peek doesn't give too much away, though we see that Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) will be heading on a new adventure which reunites her with the demigod Maui (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson).
It was only a few months ago when Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed plans for a Moana sequel. While the news generated excitement among Disney Animation fans, it felt like the movie came out of nowhere.
Of course, we first learned of plans for a Moana sequel TV series on Disney+ in 2020. The idea was 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.
Based on what we see here, Disney made the right decision.
The studio is also developing a live-action Moana movie which will see The Rock reprise his role as Maui. He recently confirmed work has already started on that and mentioned production beginning this fall. As far as we're aware, the title character still hasn't been cast.
Opening only in theaters on November 27, 2024, Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a 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 David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.
Check out the first Moana 2 trailer below.