The reimagined film stars Catherine Lagaʻaia in the lead role, with Dwayne Johnson returning as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Alongside the trailer, Disney released an “Artistry of Moana” featurette, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s design and production process.
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The project builds on the success of the original 2016 animated film, which performed strongly at the box office and on streaming platforms, and marks Disney’s continued push to adapt its popular animated titles into live-action productions.
The new film is directed by Thomas Kail, the Emmy and Tony winner behind “Hamilton,” and produced by Johnson, Dany Garcia, Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Disney says the film features original songs by Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, as well as an original score by Mancina. Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated films, is also aboard as an executive producer.
Alongside Lagaʻaia and Johnson, the cast includes John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. The “Artistry of Moana” featurette includes commentary from Johnson, Lagaʻaia, Kail, costume designer Liz McGregor, and choreographer Tiana Nonosina Liufau, underscoring how much Disney is selling this version not just as another remake, but as a crafted live-action event built around performance, movement, music, and scale.
Disney’s official synopsis for the project remains close to the original film’s spine: Moana answers the ocean’s call and ventures beyond the reef of Motunui with Maui on a journey tied to her people’s future. That basic framework was already established in Disney’s first teaser materials, and the new trailer continues the studio’s push to position the film as both a faithful reworking and a larger-scale live-action musical adventure.
The bigger question, as always with Disney’s live-action machine, is whether familiarity alone is enough. But “Moana” has always been one of the studio’s stronger bets from the remake pile—partly because the original film’s music, oceanic sweep, and cultural footprint were already massive, and partly because the franchise is still fresh from expansion after “Moana 2.” Disney’s live-action “Moana” sails exclusively into theaters July 10, 2026. Watch the trailer below.
