‘Moana’ Returns in Live Action: Magic, Maui and major debate

Disney is gearing up for one of its most anticipated live-action remakes yet. Moana , the reimagining of the studio's beloved 2016 animated musical, is officially scheduled to hit theatres on July 10, 2026 marking exactly a decade since the original first captivated audiences worldwide.

Stepping into the iconic role of the fearless Polynesian voyager is Catherine Laga'aia , a newcomer making her feature film debut. Original voice actress Auli'i Cravalho chose not to reprise the role on screen, instead stepping aside to give another Pacific Islander the opportunity, a move widely celebrated in the industry. Cravalho remains attached to the project as an executive producer. Dwayne Johnson returns as the charismatic demigod Maui, a role he originally voiced in the animated film.

Behind the camera, Disney has enlisted Thomas Kail, the Tony and Emmy Award-winning director of Hamilton and Fosse/Verdon to helm the project. The screenplay is penned by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller , with Bush having also written the original animated feature. The musical team, including Lin-Manuel Miranda , Mark Mancina , and Opetaia Foa'i , returns to craft new and familiar sounds for the live-action world.

Filming wrapped in late 2024 across Hawaii and Atlanta, with the project having faced brief delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

The stakes are high. The original Moana grossed nearly $690 million globally , and its 2024 animated sequel crossed the billion-dollar mark . The Walt Disney Company is betting that audiences are ready to return to Motunui (the fictional Polynesian island village where Moana lives) one more time.

With authentic casting, a powerhouse creative team, and an ocean full of nostalgia behind it, Moana looks poised to make waves when it opens this summer.