Disney's First Teaser Trailer for 'Moana 2' Sets Sail on Another Ocean Adventure with Familiar Voices
Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson are back as Moana and Maui in this eight-years-later sequel, which hits cinemas in November.
What can Disney say except... yes, "you're welcome", Moana fans? A sequel to the 2016 animated hit is on its way to cinemas before 2024 is out, as announced earlier in the year. Now, the movie's first teaser trailer is here to make a splash, and to confirm that Auli'i Cravalho (Mean Girls) is back voicing Moana and Dwayne Johnson (Fast X) is also returning as demigod Maui.
When Walt Disney Animation Studios had Johnson sing a ridiculously catchy tune that was penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda in the first Moana, it clearly gave itself the perfect response to all the love thrown the film's way. Adore the movie? You're welcome. Can't stop crooning its songs? You're also welcome. Excited about the sequel that'll hit cinemas on Thursday, November 28 Down Under? You're welcome for that as well.
Story-wise, Moana 2 will see its namesake take to the seas of Oceania to answer the call from her ancestors, which is where new characters will come in. While eight years have passed for viewers, only three have elapsed within the film when Moana and Maui set off on their new — and dangerous — adventure.
In the director's chair: Dave Derrick Jr, who was a storyboard artist on the original Moana. And on music duties this time are singer-songwriter Abigail Barlow, composer Emily Bear (Dog Gone), Opetaia Foa'i (returning from the first film) and Mark Mancina (also back from the initial movie).
"This was originally developed as a series, but we were impressed with what we saw and we knew it deserved a theatrical release," said Disney CEO Bob Iger when he announced the sequel in the company's first-quarter earnings call for 2024. "The original Moana film from 2016 recently crossed one-billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most streamed movie of 2023 on any platform in the U.S."
Moana 2 is one of two new Moana movies in the works, with a live-action adaptation of the first Moana also on the way — and with Johnson starring.
"Along with the live-action version of the original film that's currently in development, Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise," continued Iger.
Check out the first teaser trailer for Moana 2 below:
Moana 2 will release in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Read our interview with Jemaine Clement about Moana.
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