Moana incoming?
Disney’s Moana (2016) has long been regarded as one of the most beloved animated films in recent history, but its resurgence in popularity has been nothing short of remarkable. Surpassing 1 billion hours of watch time in 2023 alone, the movie has proven to be a powerhouse—so much so that Disney made the bold decision to expand the franchise in a major way.
Initially planned as Moana: The Series for Disney+, the project ultimately evolved into a full theatrical sequel, Moana 2. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed the shift, while Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee described it as an “organic” transformation, noting that the story became “bigger and more epic” during development. Helmed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the sequel quickly set sail for success.
After premiering during Thanksgiving week and smashing records with the highest-ever five-day opening for an animated feature, Moana 2 recently crossed the coveted $1 billion mark—making it the third Disney release in 2024 to do so, following Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.
The original film, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, grossed over $690 million worldwide and became an instant Disney classic. With unforgettable songs like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome,” it cemented its place in the pantheon of Disney greats. Naturally, Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprised their roles as Moana and Maui in the sequel.
While Moana 2’s soundtrack—crafted by Grammy Award-winning songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical)—hasn’t quite reached the legendary status of its predecessor’s Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned hits, the film has still resonated deeply with audiences, further solidifying Moana as a pop culture juggernaut.
Criticism aside, the numbers don’t lie. The success of Moana 2 not only reaffirmed the franchise as a surefire Disney hit but also gave the original movie an additional boost, making it the most-streamed movie in the U.S. across any platform for the second year running.
The Walt Disney Company’s Q1 results highlighted just how influential the seafaring hero and her demigod companion have become. In discussing the “long-term value” of theatrical releases and their potential to “leverage film success,” Disney used Moana as a prime example.
“…the Moana film franchise—with a live-action film currently in development—is approaching $1.7 billion at the global box office,” Disney stated in its executive summary. “This underscores the strong and enduring connection that audiences have with our stories and characters, and further validates our strategy of investing in popular IP.”
They continued: “The original Moana animated film has crossed one billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most-streamed movie in the U.S. on any platform for the second year in a row.”
Disney has also expanded Moana’s reach beyond film, with Tale of Moana, a new show aboard the Disney Treasure cruise ship, further immersing fans in her world.
Given Disney’s deliberate focus on maximizing its most successful IPs, it seems almost inevitable that Moana will receive its own dedicated theme park presence. The Frozen franchise, for example, is getting a second themed land in Disneyland Paris following successful expansions in Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Resort.
Walt Disney World Resort is also leaning heavily into IP-driven lands, with expansions for Cars, Encanto, and Indiana Jones on the horizon. Not to mention, Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort is doubling in size. A Moana-themed area was even teased for Disney’s Animal Kingdom back in 2022 by Jennifer Lee, Chris Beatty, and Josh D’Amaro—only to be replaced with Encanto and Indiana Jones by 2023. A Moana attraction–Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana–is currently open at EPCOT.
With all this attention on the franchise, could Moana’s removal from Animal Kingdom’s plans signal an even bigger development for the beloved character? It’s possible. As Disney moves closer to what many believe will be a fifth theme park gate, could Moana claim her own full-fledged land?
One thing is for certain—the journey isn’t over. Dwayne Johnson will officially return as Maui in the upcoming live-action adaptation, directed by Thomas Kail and set for release next year. Meanwhile, Catherine Laga‘aia will step into the role of Moana, taking over from Auli’i Cravalho.
Would you like to see Moana make a bigger splash in the parks? Let us know in the comments below!
