Disney Studios are going forward with an animated sequel to the 2016 film Moana that will hit theaters Nov. 27. The sequel is in addition to the live-action remake of Moana starring Dwayne Johnson.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the news, revealing that the film was initially developed as a TV series, before becoming a movie. “We were impressed by what we saw, and knew it deserved a theatrical release,” said Iger, adding that the film crossed 1 billion minutes of viewing on Disney+ in 2023.
The original Moana was voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho, a young woman who goes on an adventure against the wishes of her father, the chief of the Polynesian island of Motunui. Along the way, she teams up with Maui, a demigod of the wind and sea voiced by Dwayne Johnson. Johnson and Cravalho are expected to reprise their roles in the sequel film. Moana grossed $643.3 million globally, and it received Oscar nominations for best animated feature and best song for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “How Far I’ll Go.”
Dave Derrick Jr., who worked on the original film as a story board artist, will direct the Moana sequel, with Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina writing the film music.
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