Moana 2 is the next upcoming Disney movie from the iconic animation studio, and the release date is inching closer! Last month, fans were treated to a brand new Moana 2 trailer that teased the film’s newest villain. However, it was Moana’s baby sister, Simea, who stole the show and left fans wondering how she’ll factor into the sequel’s story.
The next Moana movie takes place several years after the original and is set to reunite the title character and the demigod Maui as they set out across the seas of Oceania to reconnect with her way-finding ancestors. With the adventure taking her away from her home, plus the fact that the trailer shows her saying goodbye to her sister, it’s safe to say that Simea won’t be joining Moana on the open seas. This is surely going to bring some tension to their deep sibling bond, and it definitely gave the creative team behind the sequel some things to think about. Kevin Webb, one of the head animators, said it best:
The relationship between Simea and Moana was the most important thing to try to decode and unravel. So Moana is not only her big sister, she is a guardian and a leader to her, but she has this unique relationship where she's the only one who can speak to Simea as a peer and get to the core of her.
It’s comforting to know that the Moana 2 team isn’t taking their sisterly relationship lightly. In fact, co-director David Derrick Jr told EW that their close relationship and Simea’s confusion about Moana leaving her were inspired by his own children, who have a large age gap. After all, Disney excels with movies that take inspiration from the real-life experiences of the creatives involved.
What we know about Moana 2 remains fairly limited, including how much screen time Simea is going to get while Moana is away. Given that the sequel was originally slated to be an original Disney+ animated series, I’m hoping Simea will get a strong B-plot that allows audiences to see what she’s up to on the island while her big sister is away. Since she’s a spitting image of her sister, I’m sure whatever it is she’s doing in her absence is sure to bring tons of laughter.
We’ll have to wait until November 27th to see how exactly Simea factors into the overall plot of the movie, but the animation team is adamant that she’s more than just a new secondary character. In fact, Webb has been outspoken in his claim that the youngster is the “emotional fulcrum of the story,” giving Moana a strong reason to want to return home quickly from her latest adventure.
This sibling bond will allow audiences to meet an older Moana who isn’t jumping with joy to leave behind her family in exchange for an adventure on the open seas. As much as I would love to see Simea join her big sister on this new adventure, I think keeping them apart is going to be more meaningful in the long run.
You can catch Moana 2 in theaters starting November 27th. Don't forget to stream the original before with an active Disney+ subscription.
