Moana’s time on the big screen isn’t done just yet, and I’m not just talking about that upcoming live-action remake featuring the return of Dwayne Johnson as Maui. A few years back, it was announced at a Moana TV series was being developed for Disney+ subscribers. Well, that project been thrown out in favor of Moana 2 happening as a film sequel, and we also have our first look and an impending release date for the upcoming Disney movie.
This shift from the small to the big screen was announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger today ahead of the company’s fiscal 1st quarter earnings report. This news was accompanied by a quick snippet of the sequel that can be viewed below, and for those of you especially jazzed to see more from this corner of Disney animation, you won’t have to wait that long. Moana 2 has been slated on the 2024 movies calendar for a November 27 premiere.
This teaser video was also accompanied by the following plot synopsis:
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.
Although no casting information was provided, presumably we can count on Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprising their respective roles in the sequel, which will arrive eight years after the first Moana took the world by storm. Behind the scenes, Dave Derrick Jr. is directing Moana 2, and there will be music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina. Because Moana 2 is only nine months away, presumably it won’t be too long until we learn about the other actors in the cast and see the first trailer.
Someday I’d be interested to how it was decided to shift Moana 2 from a TV show to a movie, although the sequel will eventually end up on Disney+, so it’s not as if subscribers will be missing out on any new Moana content. More importantly though, I’m curious how Moana 2’s release in late 2024 will impact what’s happening with the live-action remake of Moana. That’s set to come out on June 27, 2025; is Disney really going to release two Moana movies within less than a year of each other? While I don’t see the Mouse House simply cancelling the remake, I won’t be surprised in the slightest if it’s moved back a few years in order to give the animated sequel some breathing room.
Moana 2 is now lined up as Disney second-to-last release of the year, with Mufasa: The Lion King closing things out. If you’re looking for animated theatrical Disney content to enjoy ahead of those movies though, remember that Inside Out 2 from Pixar starts playing on June 14.
