Credit: DisneyThe cast of Disney’s Moana 2 is official!
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The cast of Disney’s upcoming Moana 2 has been confirmed, with both original voice actors set to reprise their roles. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho will be returning to the sequel, Deadline confirmed earlier this week. Moana 2 acts as the direct sequel to Moana (2016) and will be hitting theaters later this year.
What started as a Disney+ original series later transformed into a feature-length film, with Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger breaking the news that, yes, a sequel to Moana was on the way and would be released just months later. Moana 2 is completely separate from Disney’s previously announced live-action take on the original film, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also set to reprise his role as Maui in the film. However, it’s not yet been announced who will be playing the titular Moana.
In May of 2023, Cravalho told fans that she wasn’t planning on returning to reprise her role of Moana in the live-action version of the movie.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career,” Cravalho said. “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital the casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
Unlike Moana 2, which releases November 27, 2024, the live-action version does not have a release date.
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However, both Cravalho and Johnson will serve as executive producers on the film. “So, as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent, to honor our incredible Pacific people cultures and communities that help inspire her story. And I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representations to come. Mahalo.”
No one could’ve expected the success the original Moana film would bring back when it was released in 2016, smashing any and all expectations. Moana went on to gross over $687 million worldwide, receiving rave reviews along the way. The film was released alongside Zootopia (2016), marking the first time since 2002 that Disney would release two feature films in the same year.
According to data from The New York Times, Moana was the most streamed movie of 2023, not just on Disney+ but on any service. Nielson confirmed that Moana had received a staggering 11.6 billion viewing minutes throughout 2023, with Nielson also stating that nearly 80 billion minutes of Moana have been streamed since Disney+ launched in 2019.
Are you excited about Moana 2? What’s your favorite Disney animated film?