Stacey Addo | Arts & Entertainment
Moana/Disney/2016
Disney recently announced its plans to release Moana 2 on November 27, 2024. The news was confirmed by Auli’i Cravalho who will be returning in her role as Moana and Dwayne Johnson who will return as Maui.
Originally, there were no plans for a second movie but instead, the team was working on a Moana series that would be released on Disney +. The synopsis of the film is still very general. We follow Moana and Maui after receiving a sudden call from her ancestors, they must sail through long-lost waters and far seas.
Moana’s story artist David Derrick Jr. will return to direct the film. However, Lin Manuel Miranda is not returning for the film. Best known for Hamilton, Miranda wrote all the music for the movie with hits like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” being huge hits for Disney. Replacing his role in the movie will be Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (best known as Barlow and Bear). So one thing we can expect is a difference in tone from the music. Whether this is a good thing can only be told with time.
On top of this upcoming movie, there is also a live-action version of Moana in the works starring Johnson. Cravalho however has yet to confirm her participation in the movie.