During Disney’s annual shareholders’ meeting, Dwayne Johnson revealed the development of a live-action version of the 2016 animated hit, Moana. Johnson will reprise his role as the demigod Maui and produce the film alongside Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia through Seven Bucks Productions and Beau Flynn via Flynn Picture Co.
Jared Bush, the original film’s screenwriter, is set to write the remake in collaboration with Dana Ledoux Miller. A director has yet to be attached to the project. DURING THE MEETING, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Johnson announced the exciting news together.
Johnson emphasized the story’s cultural significance, “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 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, runs very deep for me.”
The original Moana was a worldwide success, earning over $665 million and receiving an Oscar nomination for best-animated Movie. Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the original film, will serve as an executive producer alongside Scott Sheldon of Flynn Picture Co.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s contributions to the film’s music, particularly the Oscar-nominated song “How Far I’ll Go,” were notable highlights. Disney’s live-action remakes of classic animated films have seen varied success, with some titles, such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, earning over a billion dollars.
Although Disney still needs to tackle 21st-century titles, the upcoming live-action Moana adaptation may signal a company strategy shift. Other studios, like Universal, are also exploring live-action remakes of animated films, such as their forthcoming How to Train Your Dragon adaptation.
As Disney continues to explore live-action adaptations of its beloved animated films, there is growing speculation about which titles might be targeted next. With the success of recent remakes like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin and the upcoming live-action Moana, fans are eager to see which 21st-century favourites will leap to live-action. Movies like Frozen and Tangled may soon join the list of contenders.
Disney’s approach has also influenced other studios with rich animation libraries. Universal, for example, is preparing to film a live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon this summer. The original 2010 movie quickly became a classic, spawning several sequels and spin-offs.
The excitement surrounding these live-action adaptations is a testament to the nostalgia-driven culture in the entertainment industry. As studios mine their catalogues for potential remakes, audiences eagerly anticipate revisiting their favourite stories and characters in a new format.
While some live-action remakes have been critically acclaimed for their creativity and faithfulness to the source material, others have faced backlash from fans and critics alike. Studios must balance appealing to nostalgia and introducing new elements that distinguish the live-action adaptations from their animated counterparts.
As the trend of live-action remakes continues, it remains to be seen which animated classics will be reimagined next and how they will fare at the box office and with audiences. Disney, in particular, has an extensive library to draw from, and the upcoming live-action Moana promises to be another fascinating entry in the studio’s expanding roster of live-action adaptations.
