Disney advances Moana franchise with live-action film and sequel plans

Disney released the final trailer for its live‑action remake of Moana, featuring Samoan actress Catherine Laga’aia as the titular heroine and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprising his role as Maui. The trailer was praised for its faithful visual translation of the animated classic, with fans noting the accurate skin tone, hair and Polynesian vibe. The film is scheduled to open in theatres on 10 July 2026.

During a press event in Brazil, Johnson confirmed that Disney is already discussing an animated sequel, “Moana 3.” He said, “Yes, we have talked about Moana 3… but first, live‑action Moana, we’ll let that come out first.” The sequel will be written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, the same writers who worked on the previous animated installments, and Auli’i Cravalho is expected to return as Moana. The original 2016 film grossed about $680 million worldwide, while the 2024 sequel reached $1.059 billion.

In a promotional tie‑in, Captain Nakoa Prejean, who built the traditional canoes used in the live‑action movie, displayed one of the vessels on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk in New Jersey. The canoe will be on view through 5 July 2026, giving fans a tangible connection to the upcoming release.