Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi return to compose the film score, while Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear wrote the songs, replacing Lin-Manuel Miranda from the first film.
Moana 2 has a team of Grammy nominees and winners penning new music. Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, who previously made waves with their Grammy-winning album The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical are listed as songwriters alongside Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa'i and Grammy winner Mark Mancina.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' all-new epic animated musical, Moana 2, three years since her first voyage, Moana is on an expansive journey in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui. Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.
Auli'i Cravalho is coming back to the waters of Moana 2, reprising her role as the spunky title character, but she won't be singing songs written by Lin Manuel Miranda when it opens in theaters on November 27, 2024.
In the first film, Moana is around 16 years old when she sets out on a journey from her island of Motunui to find Maui and force him to restore the heart of Te Fiti. That would make her about 19 or 20 in the new movie.
Zendaya is not confirmed to be a part of the live-action Moana remake cast. Few updates have happened since Dwayne Johnson's announcement of a live-action Moana movie in 2023. The cast has not been announced, but Auli'i Cravalho (original voice of Moana) has been revealed to be sitting out of the film.
The world of the franchise was originally set to continue in the form of a TV show, but Disney CEO Bob Iger announced earlier this year that it would be retooled into a proper feature film sequel, with Johnson reprising his role as Maui and Auliʻi Cravalho returning for the title role.
Although Moana's relationship with Maui never extends beyond the platonic level in the film, and although he is a 1,000-year old demigod and she is a 16-year old human, a lot of fans of the film like to put her and Maui in a romantic pairing known as Hooked Wayfinder.
At 16 years old, Moana of Motunui has a slender yet muscular build that sets her apart from previous Disney princesses and heroines. She has brown eyes with thick eyebrows and eyelashes, full brownish-pink lips, and long, wavy, black hair.
Dwayne Johnson confirmed the live-action remake and revealed that his portrayal of Maui was inspired by his late grandfather. Auli'i Cravalho will not be reprising her role as Moana, but will instead be producing the film and helping to find the next actor for the role.
Moana's father, Chief Tui, may have been chosen by the ocean before her to bring the Heart of Te Fiti to Maui, indicating a family history of protecting the world. Chief Tui recognizes the Heart of Te Fiti when Moana shows it to him, suggesting that he has seen it before and has a fear associated with it.
When will Disney's Moana remake be released? The live action Moana remake will be coming to cinemas globally on 10 July, 2026. It was originally slated for release in 2025, but has been pushed back a year, putting some distance between the live action version, and the animated sequel.
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
Alongside officially confirming that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho will be returning for Moana 2, Disney has shared a new image of the much-anticipated sequel that is set to sail into theaters on November 27, 2024.
In 2023, it was disclosed that another installment was in progress, with no details regarding its release. Now, DiscussingFilm has affirmed that the forthcoming Frozen 3 is set to hit theaters in 2026.
It's officially confirmed that Zootopia 2 is happening, and after nearly a decade since the original, the anticipation is high. Zootopia is set in a world where humans don't exist and quirky anthropomorphic animals take on everyday roles, such as a ram working as a chemist and a sloth employed at the DMV.
5) In the film's novelization, Moana's age is given as 16. This makes her the only Disney princess to be voiced by an actress younger than herself. Moana was released on Cravalho's 16th birthday.
