Credit: Inside the MagicAfter a suspicious silence, Walt Disney Animation Studios recently announced the return of their beloved Polynesian princess with the reveal of Moana 2. Although Disney buffs and Moana fans are rejoicing, the sequel arrives without one major player.
Singer-songwriter and Disney darling Lin-Manuel Miranda was the brain behind the original film’s infectious soundtrack. Responsible for such tunes as “How Far I’ll Go,” “You’re Welcome,” and “Shiny,” much of the film’s success is owed to his marvelous music.
Unfortunately, the hand behind Hamilton and In the Heights won’t be joining Moana and Maui on their next adventure. Can Disney still keep the ship afloat without its legendary songsmith?
Moana 2 Missing Miranda
The original Moana (2016) was one of Disney’s biggest success stories before the studio’s recent “Flop Era,” so it makes sense that those involved would want Moana of Motunui back on the big screen with a new sequel. However, the loss of Miranda’s musical genius will be a significant setback.
Not only could his reputation and popularity have given the project a super-charge of star power, but Disney would have undoubtedly had another Oscar-winning song in its Mickey Mitts. Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go” quickly became something of a rival to Elsa’s “Let It Go,” but with a call to adventure on the side.
Although it’s reported that Grammy-winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (barlow & bear) will be behind the new film’s songs and score, Lin-Manuel Miranda is a tough act to follow. Keeping a new soundtrack with a new set of composers in line with something that gave the film much of its identity will be a Tamatoa-sized monster.
That all being said, Miranda isn’t just sitting idly by as someone else takes his place. The decorated performer has recently been seen as Hermes in Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ and is currently working on a Broadway musical adaptation of The Warriors (1979).
With that in mind, Moana sans Miranda will be a major obstacle for the studio to overcome. Fortunately, potential viewers only have to wait until November to find out if the sequel will leave them “Satisfied” or just feeling “Helpless.”
Can Moana 2 stay afloat without Lin-Manuel Miranda? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!