Moana

Films

Animated

After directing The Princess and the Frog (2009), Clements and Musker started working on an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Mort, but problems with acquiring the necessary film rights prevented them from continuing with that project. To avoid a recurrence of that issue, they pitched three original ideas. The genesis of one of those ideas (the one that was ultimately green-lit) occurred in 2011, when Musker began reading up on Polynesian mythology, and learned of the heroic exploits of the demigod Māui. Intrigued with the rich culture of Polynesia, he felt it would be a suitable subject for an animated film. Shortly thereafter, Musker and Clements wrote a treatment and pitched it to John Lasseter, who recommended that both of them should go on research trips. Accordingly, in 2012, Clements and Musker went on research trips to Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti to meet the people of the South Pacific Ocean and learn about their culture. At first, they had planned to make the film entirely about Maui, but their initial research trips inspired Clements to pitch a new idea focused on the young daughter of a chief.

Clements and Musker were fascinated to learn during their research that the people of Polynesia abruptly stopped making long-distance voyages about three thousand years ago. Polynesian navigational traditions had long predated those of European explorers, beginning around 300 CE. Native people of the Pacific possessed knowledge of the world and their place in it prior to the incursion of foreigners. For example, Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) were well aware of the existence of far away islands, had names for these places, and were interested in exploring them to benefit their societies. This voyaging heritage was made possible by a geographical knowledge system based on individual perspective rather than the European cardinal direction system. The reasons for the halt of this voyaging tradition remain unknown, but scholars have offered climate change and resulting shifts in ocean currents and wind patterns as one possible explanation. Native peoples of the Pacific resumed voyaging again a thousand years later. Clements and Musker set the film at that point in time, about two thousand years ago, on a fictional island in the central Pacific Ocean, which drew inspiration from elements of the real-life island nations of Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, although Motunui is actually a real islet located south of Easter Island in Chilean Polynesia.

Over the five years it took to develop and produce the film, Clements and Musker recruited experts from across the South Pacific to form an Oceanic Story Trust, who consulted on the film's cultural accuracy and sensitivity as the story evolved through nine versions. The Trust responded negatively, for example, to a depiction of Maui as bald, and to a proposed scene in which Moana threw a tantrum by throwing coconuts. In response, Maui was reworked with long hair and the coconut scene was scrapped.

Live-action

In April 2023, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Walt Disney Pictures was developing a live-action adaptation of Moana to be produced by Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia, under their production company Seven Bucks Productions, and Beau Flynn of Flynn Pictures Co., executive produced by Auliʻi Cravalho and Scott Sheldon, and written by Jared Bush, with Johnson set to reprise his role as Maui. On June 12, 2024, Catherine Laga'aia was announced as the titular character.

The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release on June 27, 2025, in the USA; however, it got delayed to July 10, 2026, because of the release of Moana 2 for the previous year. A teaser trailer for the film was released on November 17, 2025.

Future

Moana 3

On July 2, 2026, a week before the release of the live-action film, Johnson confirmed that a third animated film in the Moana franchise was in the works. He also confirmed that Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller would return to write the script.

Short film

Gone Fishing (2017)

Maui Mini Movie: Gone Fishing was released along with the first film's Blu-ray and digital release. It follows Maui trying and failing to fish until Moana shows him how it's done.

Cast and characters

S indicates an appearance as a character's singing voice.

Reception

Accolades

Moana have received many nominations and awards, the majority for Best Animated Feature category and for Auliʻi Cravalho’s performance. At the 44th Annie Awards, Moana received six nominations and won two including Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production and Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production. Also Lin-Manuel Miranda won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for "How Far I'll Go", performed by Auliʻi Cravalho.

Music

Singles

“How Far I'll Go” (Alessia Cara version)

“You're Welcome” (Dwayne Johnson version)

“You're Welcome” (Jordan Fisher version)

“Beyond” (End Credit Version)

“Along the Way” (by Auliʻi Cravalho, Catherine Laga'aia & Dwayne Johnson)

Theme parks

Moana appears as a meet-and-greet character at Disney Parks.

Journey of Water

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is a walkthrough water trail attraction, which depicts the Earth's water cycle, opened at Epcot on October 16, 2023.

Upcoming Moana attraction

On April 28, 2025, the Oriental Land Company announced that Western River Railroad, Swiss Family Treehouse, Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions and The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! will be closing and replaced with a new The Incredibles, Up and Moana attraction in the section of Adventureland at Tokyo Disneyland.

In other media

Moana and Heihei make guest appearances in the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet. Moana appears as one of the main characters in the 2023 special Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest, as well as its sequel Lego Disney Princess: Villains Unite. The characters of the first film have cameo appearances in the 2023 short film Once Upon a Studio.

The franchise's titular protagonist, Moana, is part of the characters in the Disney Princess franchise. The antagonists of the 2016 film, Tamatoa and the Kakamora, have been included as part of the Disney Villains franchise.

Lawsuit

On January 10, 2025, Buck Woodall filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company for the alleged reasons of stealing the ideas of the first Moana movie and the second, asking for a sum of $17 billion. The lawsuit ruled in Disney's favor on March 10, 2025.