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Disney’s first trailer for the live-action remake of Moana is here — but the footage has left fans divided.
Less than a decade after the original animated movie came out, the colorful first look teases Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprising his role as demigod Maui and shows newcomer Catherine Laga’aia as the titular character, replacing Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the 2016 film and the animated sequel.
But the new trailer’s saturated scenic views of Motunui and nostalgic music weren’t enough to erase one question from people’s minds: Why?
“Why do we need a live action one????” one person wrote under the trailer on YouTube, echoing hundreds of social media users questioning what prompted the live-action remake.
“Look I hope it’s good but I just don’t understand the appeal of this. Like…the water, all the creatures, and everything looks exactly like the animated film. What’s the point? (Other than a billion dollars),” another wrote, with someone else adding: “It looks kinda cool, but… did we really need this remake??”
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The first trailer for the ‘Moana’ live-action remake has been released (Disney)
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will return as Maui in the live-action remake of ‘Moana’ (PA Archive)
Other social media users questioned why Disney would release a CGI-laden remake so soon after the original movie. The movie will mark the tightest turnaround between an animated Disney film’s original release and the live-action remake. Moana will not even be 10 years old when the new film hits theaters July 10, 2026. Plus, as fans pointed out, Moana 2 was just released November 2024.
“Coming out with a theatrical sequel last year and a live action remake two years later is crazy work,” one critic wrote. Another commented: “Never expected a live action remake THIS early.”
“Moana is only 10 years old, they literally JUST dropped the sequel…so many shots in the trailer are CGI that it looks just like the animated version…like, what are we doing!?!” someone else slammed.
Aside from Johnson and Lag’aia, John Tui is set to play Moana’s father Chief Tui, while Frankie Adams will play Moana’s mom Sina, and Rena Owen will be Gramma Tala. Lin-Manuel Miranda is producing the film after making the wildly popular music for the original movie, along with Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi.
Moana is the latest in Disney’s series of live-action adaptations, which have largely been nearly identical to their original source. It joins recent remakes How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch, and Snow White.
Despite complaints, Disney’s business of remaking movies has proved to be extremely lucrative, with its remake of How to Train Your Dragon soaring in popularity this summer and Lilo & Stitch breaking box office records earlier this year.