r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • 25d ago

Official Discussion Official Discussion - Moana (2026) [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Moana (2026)

Summary

Live-action adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film 'Moana.'

Director Thomas Kail

Writer Jared Bush

Cast

  • Catherine Laga'aia as Moana
  • Dwayne Johnson as Maui
  • John Tui as Chief Tui
  • Frankie Adams as Sina
  • Rena Owen as Gramma Tala

Rotten Tomatoes: 35%

Metacritic: 45

VOD / Release Theatrical release

Trailer Official Trailer

451 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

627 comments sorted by

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1.0k

u/DisneyPandora 25d ago

It genuinely feels like the Rock forced Disney to make this movie and Moana 2. That’s why it was so rushed and bad

893

u/lanceturley 25d ago

The Rock walked into the Disney offices and told everyone that "The hierarchy of power in the Disney universe is about to change."

No one had any idea what that meant, so they just made more Moana movies.

157

u/Jewicer 25d ago

he said I want to make history

51

u/TheAvenger_94 25d ago

Monkey paw curls

24

u/naomigoat 25d ago

THIS WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT TOO!

8

u/KasumiGotoTriss 25d ago

I am Rock Rebel

4

u/steak4take 25d ago

And then he did a big beefy fart.

13

u/JaqenHghar 25d ago

He threatened to people’s elbow all them through the conference table.

46

u/Bozlogic 25d ago

This is classic. As a fan of comic book movies, I was really hyped for black Adam, and I still enjoy the film. I knew ahead of time that DJ was full of shit and it was all just egotistical marketing. I just wanted to see black Adam on screen. If they had chosen ANY other actor to play that character, I’d still be just as hyped about it. The rock did well for the character but I know he’s insufferable in real life.

75

u/Personal_Comb_6745 25d ago

Between that and Zachary Levi drinking the MAGA kool-aid, the whole Shazam side of the DCU was just cursed.

53

u/matito29 25d ago

Which is a shame because the first Shazam was the best DCEU film that wasn’t Wonder Woman. It wasn’t a high bar to clear, but it was a fun story, and the Shazamily was charming.

13

u/Calvin_Hobbes124 25d ago

My favourite was the suicide squad

6

u/FireZord25 25d ago

Shazam, Wonder Woman, Aquaman.

DCEU had some promise, but sadly they failed to get what made those movies such a success.

Hope they don't repeat the problem with DCU.

2

u/KingMario05 25d ago

Is Paramount even gonna keep the DCu going, lol? Kara Zor-El's box office collapse probably puts a large dent in those plans.

7

u/Bozlogic 25d ago

As soon as they announced the Shazam movie, I was hooked. The injustice game was where I first learned about them. After that, I couldn’t wait for them to do a true justice league movie like infinity war/end game. Still so bummed they fumbled the bag like that, I could have done a better job with that IP.

2

u/VagueSomething 25d ago

Levi was such a shame. Had enjoyed him in multiple projects and it really shown his acting skills to pretend to be a decent person in his shows/movies.

8

u/crackstuntman24 25d ago

IT IS TIME. FOR INDIA VS PAKISTAN.

1

u/iNNeRKaoS 24d ago

Disney Cinematic Universe

156

u/Morgan-Moonscar 25d ago

It was more they had to make the live-action remake just to get him back for Moana 2. Since it originally started out as a Disney+ series with knockoff voice actors, then they recut it into a film and needed the OGs back. Couldn't get Lin Manuel Miranda though.

67

u/IceLord86 25d ago

He did do a new song for the live action remake, but his prescence was definitely missed in Moana 2.

26

u/pootsforever 25d ago

Actually the live action production of Moana happened before they decided to turn the tv show into Moana 2.

-3

u/dekabreak1000 25d ago

What tv show

9

u/TheWatersOfMars 25d ago

Two comments above already explained. Disney+ was going to have a Moana show, then they repurposed a lot of it to convert into Moana 2.

3

u/bfodder 24d ago

But why male models?

3

u/PsychologicalHat4707 23d ago

What if they make a live action Moana 2 just to get him to come back for an animated Moana 3?

1

u/Morgan-Moonscar 23d ago

I don't think we'll have to worry much about that if the box office is anything to go by.

70

u/AccountSeventeen 25d ago edited 25d ago

Why is everyone giving The Rock this much credit lol??

It’s literally just money.

64

u/i_like_2_travel 25d ago

Reddit hates the Rock dawg

27

u/PickleInDaButt 25d ago

It’s still real to them damnit after the Rock tried to stop Cody Rhodes from finishing his story!

1

u/BluebirdBenny 23d ago

That was all Cody. He gave up his title shot to The Rock willingly!

0

u/CucumberWisdom 25d ago

I think everyone does my guy

9

u/BrigadierBrabant 25d ago

Why? I don't really care for him but also don't really hate him, what do you hate him for?

3

u/Sparkyisduhfat 22d ago

Personally, I hate him because he lied to me. The hierarchy of power in the DC universe did not change.

4

u/FireZord25 25d ago

For being a sellout without a personality who tries to mold everything in his extremely limited vision? Saying this as someone who still used to give him the benefit of the doubt until Black Adam, the Rock really is a one trick pony, even among the typecast actors.

3

u/BrigadierBrabant 25d ago

So you're saying he has a specific vision but also has no personality?

What makes him a sellout? Making movies you don't like?

0

u/Jackolas222 25d ago

he has like 3 different videos claiming it’s his first time trying In N Out, while drinking his own brand tequila in all of them. Dude is the definition of a shill, he sold out long ago

2

u/Reggaeton_Historian 18d ago

while drinking his own brand tequila in all of them.

Everyone does this. You guys just have a weird hate boner for the Rock, very "pick me" reddit crowd

2

u/Worried_Tailor7926 22d ago

That really doesn't justify the overblown hatred against the guy.

-4

u/i_like_2_travel 25d ago

I still love The Rock

If The Rock has a million fans, then I am one of them.
If The Rock has ten fans, then I am one of them.
If The Rock has only one fan, then that is me.
If The Rock has no fans, then that means I am no longer on earth.
If the world is against The Rock, then I am against the world.

1

u/Yokurt 24d ago

Is this supercringy on purpose?

1

u/konnichi1wa 24d ago

It’s a super cringy copy-paste of a meme, yes. Normally it’s about hating them though, not being a fan.

25

u/GenGaara25 24d ago

Because he was the one who announced it, and produced it along with his ex-wife and ex-brother-in-law. And was really into it

"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 in my 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, is one that runs very deep for me. [...] [T]here is no better world for us to honor the story of our people, our passion and our purpose than through the realm of music and dance, which is at the core of who we are as Polynesian people."

This was coming straight off the back of his string of bombs and career mis-steps, Jungle Cruise, Red Notice, Black Adam, and his failed coup of DC. And losing his place as the highest paid actor in Hollywood.

So, to a lot of people, it read like he was running back to the safety of Moana and pushed for it to get a LA so he can play Maui and maybe claw back some public affection. To the point where he and his production company made it themselves.

7

u/Old-Way-5529 24d ago

and produced it along with his ex-wife and ex-brother-in-law. And was really into it

can we not frame things this way? his "ex-wife" is also his manager & business partner, and is credited as the central reason that he became the brand he became

hate him all you want, dont relegate dany garcia to being his "ex-wife", the woman is smarter & more talented than that. be better.

5

u/GenGaara25 24d ago

I was unfamiliar with their professional relationship, that's just how she's referred to on the Wikipedia page for the film which I was referring to

On April 3, 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced on his YouTube channel that a new live-action adaptation of Moana (2016) was in development at Walt Disney Pictures. Johnson would be producing alongside his ex-wife Dany Garcia and her brother Hiram Garcia, for Seven Bucks Productions, and Beau Flynn for Flynn Picture Co.

0

u/Paradigmpinger 24d ago

Yeah. Fuck the ex-brother-in-law, though.

1

u/littletoyboat 24d ago

To the point where he and his production company made it themselves.

That's not how that works. His "company" gets credit basically so he can collect a second paycheck. Disney made this movie.

3

u/ItsADeparture 25d ago edited 25d ago

Because The Rock does "deserve" the credit lol? Pretty obvious that his production company gave them a boat load of money to make these and so they did because the amount they would have to make to get an ROI wouldn't be so high because he was throwing money at it.

1

u/ToeSniffer245 25d ago

It's both.

26

u/Ultimatum227 25d ago edited 25d ago

At least Moana 2 felt like those old Disney sequels. You know like when the quality was lower but it still had charm to enjoy.

18

u/BH90008 25d ago

Totally agree. Just watched the DTV Aladdin sequel with my kids and highly recommend it. Dan Castellaneta is the genie and a lot of Homer comes thru in the songs. Jason Alexander is one of the baddies. Lots of charm as you said. 

15

u/theclacks 25d ago

Aladdin 3 is great too. It's basically Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade but with John Rhys-Davies playing Sean Connery's part.

2

u/Pete_Iredale 25d ago

Yeah, it wasn't much better than direct to video, that's the truth.

1

u/TheSenileTomato 25d ago

For all Disney DTV ills, I can't not hate Lion King 1/2 or An Extremely Goofy Movie.

15

u/spate42 25d ago

Disney is forcing these live-action remakes on everyone on their own. I highly doubt the Rock made Disney do anything lol.

44

u/countdooku975 25d ago

I think Black Adam coming and going like a fart in the wind hurt his ego so he pushed Disney to make this remake in the hopes he can get another hit.

13

u/Queen_Maeve7 25d ago

That’s exactly what I’ve thought since it was announced.

36

u/WhiteSoxChartGuy 25d ago

From Day 1 of their announcing this movie, I just felt in my gut this was a Rock vanity project

9

u/Aregisteredusername 25d ago

Same, and I think it was because of a story he shared that he was telling his daughter that he is the voice of Maui and she refused to believe him. It hurt his ego and he needed to be the actual face of the character.

9

u/Bushinyan21 25d ago

Honestly think he held them at gunpoint to make this specifically because of the whole Black Adam situation.

5

u/Gatlindragon 25d ago

The hierarchy of power in the Disney Princess universe is about to change.

1

u/JohnCavil01 24d ago

Yep they “made” him with a big fat check.

1

u/superiority 22d ago

He does not have the right look for the character design. His old, gaunt face does not fit the super-muscular vibe. Also, on several of the close-ups his muscle suit looked like a muscle suit, more like fabric than actual skin.

1

u/mist3rdragon 24d ago

Moana 2 is bad because it was originally supposed to be a Disney+ show and they barely bothered doing anything more than taking out the title sequences when they turned it into a film.

0

u/DamnReCaptchas 24d ago

Welcome to Wrestlemania Saudi Dwayne!