After Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed the upcoming sequel to 2016’s Moana starring Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, the lead actress gave a promising update about the latter’s participation in the film.
As Johnson is busy working on his next project, which he confirmed is a live-action film, he also revealed that he has been involved in the project since its conception.
Auli’i Cravalho Shares Exciting Updates About Moana 2
In a Disney press release, Moana 2 will feature the original characters Moana and Maui, which hints at the return of Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson.
While speaking with EW, Cravalho shared an update about the upcoming second film without giving away too many details. She also did not confirm Johnson’s part but mentioned that they have been secretly working on the movie for quite some time now.
“What I can tell you is that we’ve been working really hard on it and it will come out November of 2024, which is only a few months away, so clearly we’ve been working on it for a minute without telling anyone. God, we’re good.”
Bob Iger once spoke with CNBC to confirm Moana 2, a franchise that brought them massive profit after it grossed over $687 million in global ticket sales.
“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise, and we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when ‘Moana 2’ comes to theaters this November.”
The Walt Disney Company revealed the movie’s details as follows:
“Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”
The movie will be helmed by Dave Derrick Jr., and despite Cravalho not explicitly confirming if she and Johnson are returning as the lead characters, fans can take solace in the fact that a live-action Moana is underway.
Dwayne Johnson Confirmed Live-Action Moana Is In The Works
Dwayne Johnson confirmed during his guesting at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that he is currently working on a live-action adaptation of Moana. In general, these kinds of remake projects from Disney are rarely successful, and only a handful manage to exceed viewers’ expectations.
“My next project that I will be shooting is a live-action version of Moana. I am real-life Maui.”
Still, Dwayne Johnson is a charmer when it comes to box-office blockbusters. Moana is one of the most profitable Disney projects in the past years, so the studio can rely on that fame as well as The Rock’s star power.
Unfortunately, Auli’i Cravalho won’t be returning as Moana in the live-action movie. She was 14 when she was cast in the animated film, so it is important to accurately represent the character in the upcoming remake.
Moana 2 is expected to hit theaters on November 27, 2024 while the live-action adaptation is scheduled for a June 27, 2025 release, just seven months apart.
