A live-action version of Disney’s Moanahas been announced and there are many exciting details about the remake of the hit musical fantasy movie. The most recent wave of live-action remakes of Disney animated movies began in 2010 with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, but Disney has dabbled in this type of movie-making even before that. The memorable live-action remake of One Hundred and One Dalmatians with Glenn Close in 1996 was a very early example of this. 2x4t4y

Moana has already been the protagonist of two films, and throughout both Moana movies, she has managed to avoid a signature aspect of classic Disney princesses. The Disney Princess line is almost as iconic for Disney as Mickey Mouse himself, with the collection of princess characters dating back as far as the company's first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Moana is one of the latest new additions to the Disney Princess line, and while she has had two movies to be developed, Moana and Moana 2 haven't given her this one Disney Princess staple.

Moana 2's demigods and gods are incredibly powerful, but some are clearly more powerful than others. In the world of Moana, there are several powerful gods capable of shifting and shaping the world to the way they see fit. Some, like Te Fiti, bring life to the ocean, while forces like Nalo sink islands to doom interlopers like humanity before they can pose a risk to them. Even beyond these deities, there are elemental spirits like the Ocean and impressive demigods like Maui.

Disney has won a lawsuit filed against the successful adventure movie Moana which claims the story was stolen. Released in 2016, and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements - from a screenplay by Jared Bush - Moana tells the story of the strong-willed daughter of an island chief, chosen by the ocean to reunite the goddess Te Fiti with a mystical relic. Moana’s cast included newcomer Auli’i Cravalho, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Jermaine Clement, and Alan Tudyk. The movie was a box office success, grossing $687.2 million worldwide, and spawned a sequel, Moana 2.

Moana's opening minutes do a superb job of setting up the conflict at the core of the entire franchise. Though four years ed before a follow-up to Moana was confirmed, the first movie's subtle details reveal the ways in which it sets up Disney's biggest franchise after Frozen. From foreshadowing Moana connecting the ocean to the sequel's biggest twist, the prologue to Moana also establishes her split heart, which longs for the sea but has duties and ties to the Land.

Moana and Minions are among the seven animated movies that dominate the streaming charts for 2024. From Inside Out 2 to The Wild Robot, many of 2024's animated movies proved to be critical and commercial successes. In addition to performing well in theaters, popular animated movies have a tendency to perform well on streaming platforms, both when it comes to newer releases, and older ones that continue to have enduring appeal.

The Disney film, Moana, may be the absolute last franchise most fans would expect to receive an anime adaptation, but recently, animation artist Gensho Yasuda has translated the adorable story into this format. Studios Xenotoon and Yasuda Studio have masterfully taken the Disney film and added an anime spin that fans of Japanese animation are sure to appreciate deeply.

One of Moana 2's new key characters was actually quietly featured in the 2016 Moana movie first. The 2024 sequel introduced several new figures in Moana's life, which was part of the appeal of the new film. Rather than the hero traveling across the ocean with only Maui, Moana had a whole crew working with her. Additionally, her family at home grew with the introduction of a new sister. Then, the history of Moana's family became more detailed, with names and more apparent roles assigned to her mysterious ancestors in Moana 2.

The following contains spoilers for Moana 2, now playing in theatersMoana 2 and the film that proceeded it boast some impressive songs, the strongest of which rank among the best musical contributions to the Disney canon in the 21st century. Both films feature authentic South Pacific culture mixed with modern musical standards. While the songs were penned by musical writers like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi both played important roles in the scores for both movies. The result is a medley of catchy and inspiring songs that feel wholly unique while fitting the themes and archetypes of the best musicals.

The Kakamora return in Moana 2, but the sequel leaves the mystery of what they really look like under the coconuts. Introduced in the original 2016 movie, the Kakamora are a race of beings with an unidentified origin and backstory. Only shown as a group of pirates on Mad Max-like floats with a tendency for murder, the creatures are most recognizable thanks to the coconut armor they wear. Most are outfitted with some type of accessories made from crustaceans, shells, and other objects. They do not speak and are completely enclosed in their coconut armor besides their arms and legs.