New Information Comes To Light Regarding ‘Moana 2’ After Disney Scrapped Production

More information has emerged regarding the cancellation of the Moana sequel and how its transition to the big screen has brought new challenges.

Disney’s Moana (2016) is one of the most beloved Disney animated classics in recent memory. Blending Polynesian culture with adventure, the story follows Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), a girl chosen by the ocean to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti and save her island, Motunui, from disaster.

Along the way, she teams up with Maui, the ego-driven demigod played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. At just 14 when recording commenced, actress Auli’i Cravalho made a big splash as Moana, delivering a performance that has kept audiences coming back again and again.

They came back so much, in fact, that Moana clocked an impressive 11.6 billion minutes of watch time in 2023, making it the most streamed movie of 2023 in the United States across all platforms. This achievement was a key factor in Disney’s most recent shareholder presentation, where it also shared that the Moana 2 trailer had become the most-viewed trailer in Disney animation history within 24 hours, per Deadline.

Ron Clements and John Musker’s movie featured the musical talents of Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, and Mark Mancina. Songs like the Oscar-nominated “How Far I’ll Go” and Johnson’s “You’re Welcome” became instant fan favorites.

And while it may have seemed that Moana’s story was over following its 2016 release, in 2020, Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee, revealed that Moana: The Series was in the works. The animated sequel to Moana was expected to be released on Disney+.

However, those plans were canceled earlier this year when Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger shared that the TV series was being transformed into a big-screen sequel titled Moana 2 with Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson returning. On this transition, Lee recently told Entertainment Weekly that it was an “organic” thing.

“We constantly screen [our projects], even in drawing [phase] with sketches,” Lee told the outlet. “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.”

In that same EW feature, Moana 2‘s creative team divulged more about the process of bringing Moana back to the big screen following work on the now-defunct TV series. That creative team, which includes directing duo David Derrick Jr. and Dana Ledoux Miller, also includes Grammy Award-winning songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical).

Related: Cast of ‘Moana 2’ Confirmed Months Ahead of Release

Lee brought the pair onto the project, replacing Lin-Manuel Miranda, who said, “Moana’s in a different place in her story, and there’s a freshness to the journey with the two of them.”

“At that time, it was still a TV show,” Entertainment Weekly noted. “So, as with everyone else, the songwriters had to return to the drawing board when it turned into a movie. ‘We supercharged Moana again,’ Bear says of the process. ‘She became the center of everything, and that showed itself in our music.'”

Cravalho, who is returning to voice Moana despite not being cast in the role for the 2026 live-action version directed by Thomas Kail, celebrated the hiring of Barlow and Bear.

“It’s a passing of the baton to this younger generation,” Cravalho said. “For two women to be part of that and trying to get to the heart of the story, which is a young woman finding her way, I couldn’t think of a better duo than Barlow and Bear. To use some of Lin’s words, they’re young, scrappy, and hungry.”

Moana 2 is slated to be released during Thanksgiving week on November 27, 2024.

Watch the Moana 2 trailer here.

Related: Widespread Report Claims Moana Will Transition To Male

Moana proved to be a box office juggernaut, grossing over $690 million worldwide and earning critical acclaim for its representation and storytelling. It garnered two Academy Award nominations and solidified its place as a modern Disney classic. The film’s continued popularity on Disney+ and in merchandise keeps it alive in the hearts of fans, making Moana one of Disney’s most enduring heroines.

How do you feel about Lin-Manuel Miranda not returning to write the songs for Moana 2? Let us know in the comments down below!