Moana (2026 film) facts for kids

Moana is an upcoming American musical action-adventure fantasy film directed by Thomas Kail from a screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Dwayne Johnson, Hiram and Dany Garcia, and Beau Flynn. The film is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 2016 animated film Moana, and the third installment in the Moana franchise. It stars Catherine Lagaʻaia in her film debut as Moana and Johnson reprising his role as Maui from the animated films.

Development of a live-action Moana film was announced by Johnson in April 2023. Kail was hired as director in May of the same year and Lagaʻaia was announced in the title role in June 2024, along with the main supporting cast. Principal photography occurred in Atlanta and Hawaii between July and November 2024.

Moana is scheduled to be released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in the United States and Canada on July 10, 2026.

Cast

• Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana
• Dwayne Johnson as Maui
• John Tui as Chief Tui, Moana's father
• Frankie Adams as Sina, Moana's mother
• Rena Owen as Gramma Tala, Moana's grandmother and Tui's mother

Production

Development

On April 3, 2023, it was announced on Dwayne Johnson's official YouTube channel that a live-action remake of Moana (2016) was in development at Walt Disney Pictures, with Johnson producing alongside his ex-wife Dany Garcia along with her brother, Johnson's ex-brother-in-law Hiram Garcia, for Seven Bucks Productions, and Beau Flynn for Flynn Picture Co., and the animated film's lead star Auliʻi Cravalho serving as executive producer. Johnson remarked "This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people's grace and warrior strength. I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. ... [T]here is no better world for us to honor the story of our people, our passion and our purpose than through the realm of music and dance, which is at the core of who we are as Polynesian people." Sean Bailey, Disney Live Action's president of production at the time, acknowledged that, although only seven years had passed since the animated film was released, the celebration of Disney's 100th anniversary contributed to the decision to remake the film so soon.

On May 31, 2023, Thomas Kail was announced as the director. Casting was expected to begin later in the year, but was suspended until November 8, 2023, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. In February 2024, Johnson stated that an actress had been cast in the titular role, but that the actress would be kept under wraps for the time being. In June, Catherine Lagaʻaia was revealed to be the actress cast in the titular role, alongside John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Rena Owen joining the cast, with Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller writing the screenplay.

Filming

Principal photography began in Atlanta on July 29, 2024, under the working title Canon, and wrapped in Hawaii on November 22. It was previously scheduled to begin filming in June 2024 under the working title Motorheads, after being delayed from an October 2023 start date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Óscar Faura serves as cinematographer.

Music

Mark Mancina, who provided the musical score for the original film and its sequel, confirmed in December 2024 that he will return to score the remake. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was a songwriter for the original film, will also return; he was not involved with Moana 2 due to scheduling conflicts.

Release

Moana is scheduled to be released on July 10, 2026, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the release of the original film. It was originally scheduled for release on June 27, 2025, but following the announcement of Moana 2, it was delayed to its current date as a consequence of the eight-month gap between the two films.

See also

In Spanish: Moana (película de 2026) para niños

• List of Disney live-action adaptations and remakes of Disney animated films