With Moana 2's post-credits scene left the overarching narrative, and naturally, that movie will continue to follow Moana's journey with her newfound powers.

Moana 2 actually started out as a Disney+ series when it was first developed, but the decision was made to pivot to a feature-length sequel as late as February 2024. A Disney+ series could still be in the future given how much Moana 2 expanded the universe for the characters from Motonui and the monsters and deities of the sea. At this point, it wouldn't be a surprise if Dwayne Johnson's was the centerpiece of a spinoff show with how perfectly Moana 2 set Maui up for his own project.

Moana 2 Sets Up The Main Franchise To Work Without Dwayne Johnson

Moana's Newfound Demigod Powers Make Maui Unnecessary

The future of the Moana franchise was reshaped by the decision to essentially replace Maui with Moana by making her a demigod. The dynamic from the first movie worked well, with Moana acting as a human action star and Maui taking on the supernatural threats that were too big for Moana. In Moana 2, that dynamic continued to work up until the very end, when Moana was shockingly killed by the storm god Nalo and given demigod powers that appear to be similar to Maui's, minus the ability to shapeshift (so far).

That essentially sets the franchise up to work without the inclusion of Dwayne Johnson's Maui in future chapters in Moana's story. While very little has been revealed about Moana's demigod powers, or whether they are permanent (no sure thing considering Maui had his stripped just before Moana gained hers), it seems safe to assume that she will have some level of immortality to go with her new path-finding ability. That means she's capable of taking on supernatural threats on her own, without Maui coming to her rescue against the most dire cosmic threats of the sea.

Dwayne Johnson Getting A Maui Spinoff Franchise Would Make Sense After Moana 2's Success

The Appetite For Moana-Related Content Is Clearly High

Given the popularity of the character and the sheer recognizability of the long-haired, muscular demigod, it seems extremely unlikely that Moana 3 will cut Maui out of the equation entirely. The opportunity to do so came at the end of Moana 2 when he had his demigod powers stripped; as a human again, Maui could have set off on his own path. With his powers back, it seems much more likely that he will team up with powered-up demigod Moana to take down Nalo, the ultra-powerful storm deity they faced in the sequel.

Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role as Maui in the live action version of Moana when it hits theaters on July 10th, 2026.

However, given the incredible box office success of Moana 2, it's clear that interest in the Moana franchise has never been higher. In that context, a Maui spinoff makes a ton of sense for Disney in the coming years. Dwayne Johnson's star power and the fun abilities and personality of the demigod all lend themselves to Maui leading his own project. Whether that is a spinoff movie that chronicles Maui's adventures on the sea without Moana, or perhaps a Disney+ series that explores Maui's origins and great deeds, the opportunity is ripe for Maui to take center stage.