‘Moana’s Sequel Release Not Happening as Expected, Disney Divulges Key Facts

The Walt Disney Company has revealed why the hugely anticipated Moana sequel has been scrapped and why the plans for a follow-up to 2016’s smash success have now changed.

But first, what even is Moana, and why is it so popular?

What is Moana?

What Happens in Moana?

Moana (2016), one of Disney’s standout animated films of the 2010s, is a captivating adventure that taps into the rich tapestry of Polynesian culture while delivering a heartfelt narrative of courage and self-discovery.

At its core, Moana follows the journey of a young girl, Moana (Aul’li Cavalho), who embarks on a dangerous voyage across the vast ocean to save her island and her people. With the help of Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a legendary demigod, Moana faces numerous trials as she seeks to restore the stolen heart of Te Fiti, an ancient goddess whose power holds the key to revitalizing the world’s natural order.

The film blends high-stakes action with emotional depth as Moana grapples with her identity, her responsibilities to her community, and the call of the sea that stirs deep within her.

Who Is in Moana?

The film’s casting is as exceptional as its visuals, beginning with the breakout performance of Auli’i Cravalho as the voice of Moana. Cravalho, just 14 at the time, brought youthful energy and a powerful singing voice to the role, instantly becoming a new face of Disney’s legacy of strong heroines.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays Maui, infusing the character with a mix of charm, humor, and arrogance. His performance, alongside Cravalho’s, forms the heart of the film’s humor and emotional arcs.

The supporting cast is equally impressive, with Rachel House voicing Gramma Tala, Moana’s mystical and wise grandmother, and Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger as Chief Tui and Sina, Moana’s overprotective father and supportive mother.

Jemaine Clement voices the villainous crab Tamatoa, while Disney veteran Alan Tudyk lends comedic brilliance to Heihei (sometimes Hei Hei), the lovably clueless chicken.

Who Brought Moana to Life Behind the Scenes?

Behind the scenes, Moana was crafted by the veteran Disney directing duo Ron Clements and John Musker, responsible for beloved classics like The Little Mermaid (1989) and Aladdin (1992), with a screenplay co-written by Jared Bush (Zootopia).

Producer Osnat Shurer and the film’s creative team worked closely with the “Oceanic Story Trust,” a group of cultural advisors from Polynesia, to ensure that the movie’s portrayal of Polynesian traditions, myths, and wayfinding was respectful and authentic.

The music of Moana is one of its greatest achievements, seamlessly integrating traditional Polynesian sounds with Disney’s signature musical style. The film’s soundtrack was created by a dynamic trio: Lin-Manuel Miranda, fresh off his Hamilton success, brought his lyrical mastery to songs like the emotional anthem “How Far I’ll Go,” which became the centerpiece of the film.

Opetaia Foa’i, the founder of the South Pacific band Te Vaka, introduced his culture’s rich rhythms and harmonies, especially notable in tracks like “We Know the Way,” a celebration of Polynesian voyaging heritage.

Mark Mancina, the composer behind The Lion King (1994), added his sweeping orchestral expertise, elevating the score with his arrangements. Other standout tracks include “You’re Welcome,” a fun, ego-driven number sung by Johnson as Maui, and “Shiny,” Clement’s Bowie-inspired performance as Tamatoa.

Moana‘s Box Office Success

At the box office, Moana was nothing short of a triumph, grossing over $690 million worldwide and solidifying itself as a modern Disney classic. Released during the lucrative Thanksgiving season, the film performed exceptionally well in the U.S., where it took in over $248 million domestically.

The combination of its appealing characters, thrilling adventure, and universal themes made Moana a holiday favorite and kept its momentum strong through the end of 2016 and beyond. Its widespread appeal extended internationally, making it a global success and further expanding Disney’s reach in diverse cultural storytelling.

Moana was a commercial hit and earned critical acclaim and industry recognition. It received two Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“How Far I’ll Go”) and a Golden Globe nod for Best Animated Feature.

Moana‘s Legacy and Sequel Hopes

Over time, Moana has only grown in stature, resonating with audiences for its strong representation of Pacific Island cultures and the bold, independent character of Moana herself, who now stands among Disney’s most beloved heroines.

Even years after its release, Moana continues to captivate audiences. In fact, in 2023, Moana was the most-streamed movie in the United States. Moana is so crucial to The Walt Disney Company that the House of Mouse named it as a core franchise that “continues to build [its] ecosystem” in its Q3 shareholder presentation.

There, Bob Iger’s Disney company highlighted the franchise’s future: Moana 2 will be released in November 2024, and the live-action adaptation will be released in 2026. Disney also noted that Moana 2 has already broken records.

“Moana 2 had the biggest animated trailer launch in Disney history, with nearly 200 million views in 24 hours and dedicated SKUs for Moana merchandise have doubled since the sequel announcement,” Disney wrote in its Q3 presentation.

When it comes to the Disney Experiences brand, the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction, recently opened inside World Nature in EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, while “The Tale of Moana” stage show will open on the upcoming Disney Cruise Line ship Disney Treasure.

Moana 2

As Disney stated, and showed with a teaser trailer, earlier this year, a sequel to Moana is happening—just not as originally planned. The initial trajectory for a follow-up to 2016’s animated movie was a TV series on Disney+—a TV series that has been completely scrapped. In its place is now a theatrical movie that will hit the big screen on November 27, 2024, during the Thanksgiving season.

“Perils abound! 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,” the official movie synopsis reads via Empire.

“Joined by Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”

Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson return to their respective roles of Moana and Maui in the sequel. New characters include Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), Kele (David Fane), Loto (Rose Matafeo), Moni (Hualālai Chung), Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), and Tautai Vasa (Gerald Ramsey).

Watch the official Moana 2 trailer below!

Related: Fans Can’t Believe New ‘Moana’ Look With Zendaya and Dwayne Johnson

As stated earlier, Moana’s journey back to the seas actually started as a TV show that Jennifer Lee (Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios) announced four years ago during Disney Investor Day 2020.

However, Moana: The Series was not meant to be and ended up on the cutting room floor. A theatrical release is likely to please ardent Moana fans and entice families into theaters when it hits the big screen. If Inside Out 2‘s (2024) performance is anything to go by, the transition from series to feature film could give the Mouse House another notch on the billion-dollar bow.

It’s been almost six months since Disney revealed Moana 2, and now Jennifer Lee has spoken about why the TV series was scrapped and replaced with a movie.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Jennifer Lee–who also wrote and co-directed Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019)–explained Moana 2‘s journey.

“We constantly screen [our projects], even in drawing [phase] with sketches,” Lee told EW. “It was getting bigger and bigger and more epic, and we really wanted to see it on the big screen. It creatively evolved, and it felt like an organic thing.”

One half of Moana 2‘s co-directing duo, David Derrick Jr. and Dana Ledoux Miller, expanded on Lee’s points: “It became apparent very early on that this wanted to be on the big screen,” he says. “It felt like a groundswell within the whole studio,” Derrick Jr. said.

Another turning point for Disney was the question of why, if they have some of the best artists in the world, the studio is not sharing that talent on the biggest screens possible.

Related: Moana Replaces All Other Disney Princesses, Future of Animated Films Changed Forever

“Supporting the theaters is something that we talked about,” said Lee. “We love Disney+, but it will go there eventually. You could really put it anywhere, but these artists create stories that they want to see on the big screen and that we want the world to see on the big screen.”

“We haven’t done a ton of sequels at Disney animation,” the studio’s CCO continued. “Our philosophy is always that the idea has to come from the filmmakers. You can’t invent a story that isn’t meant to be. You have to go from the heart out. If we do it the other way, we can’t build an authentic story. Story, to us, is always character first.”

Following the announcement of Moana 2, discourse began regarding the choice to pivot from TV series to movie, with some concerned about Disney using it as a cash grab considering the lack of success for original projects in recent years. The company’s centennial celebration movie, Wish (2023), failed to deliver on almost all fronts.

The concern stretched to how Disney would rework a project intended for one medium into something completely different. On that, Dana Ledoux Miller shared:

“In the series, there was a lot more room to play with some of the ensemble. [The shift was about] streamlining into all the things that we love most about Moana as our hero and our adventurer. We have all of that now and it pops so much more, especially with the scale that we get to live in on the big screen. Every element of the adventure that we were already building in the series is now 10 times bigger, 10 times more exciting.”

In keeping with the first movie, Moana 2 is also a musical, except this time, it’s Grammy Award-winning duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical) and not Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda who are co-writing the songs with returning composing and songwriting duo Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i.

Moana 2‘s Thanksgiving release will surely set the anticipated sequel up for success. If the first movie’s lasting legacy is anything to go by, it could easily bypass Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing movie in animation history.

Following the animated sequel, a live-action remake of the original movie directed by Thomas Kail will follow in 2026.

How do you feel about Moana 2? Let us know in the comments down below!