Dana Ledoux Miller, the co-writer of the live-action Moana
movie, explains why she thinks the movie will be particularly impactful for audiences. After the massive success of 2016’s animated Moana on Disney+, Disney announced in 2023 that the title character’s epic quest to save her island from a curse in ancient Polynesia would be adapted into live-action. Thomas Kail directs the live-action Moana remake, with Jared Bush co-writing with Miller. Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role as Maui in the film, with Catherine Lagaสปaia replacing Auli’i Cravalho as the eponymous hero.
In a recent interview with Variety, Miller says that, despite the live-action Moana serving as a retelling of the story from the 2016 original, it will still feel “fresh” to audiences. According to the co-writer, the live-action remake will honor the legacy of the animated film, but its new format will help to highlight the dangers of Moana’s journey out on the harsh ocean waves. Check out her comment below:
โThereโs a 16-year-old girl who is on the open water embarking on a dangerous journey. The visceral nature of that really comes through with live action. It gives the movie a real human vulnerability that will make it feel fresh.โ
Miller also hypes Lagaสปaia’s performance as the titular hero, promising that the young actor has had no problem filling Cravalho’s shoes and acting opposite Johnson:
“Sheโs incredible. She had no problem going head-to-head with Dwayne. She wasnโt intimidated at all.โ
In addition to co-writing the live-action remake, Miller co-directed Moana 2 with David G. Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand.
What Miller’s Update Means For The Live-Action Moana
Will It Break A Worrying Disney Pattern?
Since about 2010, Disney has gone into overdrive when it comes to pumping out live-action remakes of its animated classics. Many of them have been very financially successful, with Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Aladdin (2019) both crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide. Fewer of these remakes, however, have been hits critically, with reviews often calling into question just how necessary these endeavors are when their only real added value is that the medium changes from animation to live-action.
Related
Moana’s Live-Action Remake Franchise Will Avoid One Major Issue With Moana 2
Moana 2 is far from being the end of the Moana franchise, and fortunately, the upcoming live-action film will avoid a major problem from the sequel.
Clearly, audiences have less of a problem with many of these remakes given their box office success, but the question of just how necessary a live-action Moana movie is certainly looms large. The original film, after all, is less than 10 years old, and this will mark the shortest gap between a Disney animated original and its live-action remake. There’s reason to believe it will be successful, however. Though Moana 2 reviews were somewhat lukewarm from critics, the film did gross $1.057 billion worldwide, confirming that love for the franchise remains strong.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Moana 2 has only a 61% score from critics, compared to the first movie’s 95%. The audience scores are closer, however, at 86% and 89%, respectively.
Our Take On The Live-Action Moana Feeling “Fresh”
Why The Movie Will Succeed Regardless
So far, it would be a stretch to say that any of Disney’s live-action remakes have felt “fresh.” 2023’s Little Mermaid remake is a possible exception, earning some of the most positive reviews of any of the company’s live-action remakes on top of casting a Black actor, Halle Bailey, in the lead role. Even this film, however, fell into some familiar traps.
Though Johnson delivers a compelling voice performance as Maui as part of the animated Moana cast, his portrayal of the live-action version of the character also won’t help differentiate the two versions of the movie. Ultimately, though, this may not matter. Young audiences, especially, clearly have a lot of love for the Moana franchise, and experiencing the same adventure over again in live action could be just what they’re looking for.
Source: Variety
Moana
- Release Date
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July 10, 2026
- Director
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Thomas Kail
- Writers
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Ron Clements, John Musker, Chris Williams, Don Hall, Pamela Ribon, Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller