Walt Disney Animation Studios has revealed the first teaser trailer for Moana 2, slated to open in U.S. theaters on November 27, 2024.
The theatrical feature is a somewhat unexpected entry from Disney. Back in February of this year, Disney CEO Bob Iger made the surprise announcement that the planned Moana streaming series was being retooled as a full-length feature. “We were impressed with what we saw, and we knew it deserved a theatrical release,” Iger said at the time.
The original 2016 film’s performance on streaming also likely factored into the decision to produce a second animated theatrical film. Last year, the John Musker and Ron Clements-directed Moana was the #1 most-streamed title in the United States, and it has been among the top four streaming titles for four straight years.
Uniquely (and perhaps concerningly, if you work in the L.A. animation industry), Moana 2 also marks the first Walt Disney Animation Studios feature in many years that is not being produced entirely at its Burbank studio. That’s because production on the Moana series was originally taking place in Canada at Disney’s new animation studio in Vancouver. Work on the feature is now being split between the Vancouver and Burbank studios. As other animation studios continue to shift away from domestic production, it would not be surprising if Moana 2 becomes a trial run for a new production model at Disney Animation.
Moana 2 is directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller. Both Derrick and Hand were story artists on the original film, while Derrick and Ledoux Miller both share Samoan ancestry. Producers on the film are Christina Chen and Yvett Merino.
The film reunites Moana (voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) with other characters from the original film, including Heihei the rooster and Pua the pig. It is set three years after the original. Per the logline, “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”
Moana 2 features music by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina.
