Will MOANA Be Able to Catch Another Wave With Live-Action Version?
By Movieguide® Contributor
MOANA 2 writer and director is sharing her personal connection to the movie’s story — and giving out some behind-the-scenes details about the upcoming MOANA live-action movie.
The sequel was initially planned as a straight-to-streaming series, but at the last minute, Disney decided to turn it into a movie, complete with a theatrical run.
“There was quite a lot of streamlining that needed to happen,” Dana Ledoux Miller told Variety. “We needed to right-size the story. In the series, we spent quite a lot of time with the crew of her ship. But Moana’s name is in the title, so the film had to reflect that. We made sure the film used the crew members to show her becoming a better leader.”
Disney’s gamble paid off; MOANA 2 has made over $1 billion at the global box office, making it the third-highest-grossing movie of 2024.
Miller recalled crying after seeing the first MOANA movie, saying, “I had never walked into a Regal Cinema and heard the voices of my people before. And to have one of them be a Disney princess changes everything. It says, ‘It’s OK to be Polynesian and be strong and adventurous and funny.’ You see yourself reflected on screen and that’s powerful.”
The Samoan writer-director had previously worked on shows like LOST and NARCOS before getting the call from Disney to work on MOANA 2. Now, she wants to help other Pacific Islanders find their footing in Hollywood through Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK).
Miller co-founded PEAK, an organization that offers professional development aid to Pacific Islanders hoping to get into the entertainment industry
“If we are going to see ourselves on the images on screen, we need to have a role in telling these stories,” Miller explained. “And storytelling is a big part of our community, so I want to protect that and to keep exploring what it means to be a Pacific Islander.”
She isn’t done working with MOANA, though. Miller co-wrote the script for the upcoming live-action MOANA, which sees Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui, alongside newcomer Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana.
“She’s incredible,” Miller said of the young actress. “She had no problem going head-to-head with Dwayne. She wasn’t intimidated at all.”
Laga’aia shared her excitement at taking on the role of Moana in a press release, saying, “MOANA is one of my favorites. My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa.”
“I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me,” she continued.
Miller also shared that a live-action movie will make MOANA’s story all the more impactful to audiences.
Related: MOANA 2 Breaks Records: Most Watched Disney Animated Trailer at 178m Views
“There’s a 16-year-old girl who is on the open water embarking on a dangerous journey,” she said. “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.”
Johnson echoed Miller’s comments in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“I have a handle on who Maui is: I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration, I can access things, you got it,” the actor explained. “The moment I stepped on set as live-action Maui, I realized right away, ‘Oh, wow. This is different, in terms of, this is real flesh and blood and skin and bones, and it becomes real all of a sudden. So then it’s almost like getting into my grandfather’s skin.”
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