Disney has released the new Moana trailer together with its amazing cast. The movie will feature Catherine Laga'aia as the lead character, Moana, John Tui, Frankie Adams and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will keep his role as Maui, bringing it to life and staying true to his Samoan heritage.

 

Dwayne Johnson has expressed in interviews that his character means so much to him, so playing Maui in the live adaptation is a wonderful experience. Johnson will also function as producer of the film alongside Auli’i Cravalho.

 

Back in 2023, Auli’i expressed on an Instagram video that she would not be playing her character, Moana, in the live remake. She stated, “I believe it is absolutely vital that the casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell, so as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit, and emotional strength.”

 

The movie is set to hit cinemas 10 years after its debut and stays faithful to what fans remember from the 2016 animated film.

 

Fans, however, are feeling bored with Disney’s live adaptation marathon as of late.

 

“80% of this will be animated anyway. Like How to Tame Your Dragon,” one Reddit user mentioned as most are calling it creative bankruptcy.

The real question is why the entertainment company is not producing new and fresh material instead of the same story, different format.

 

“This thing is still going to make all the money in the world, and I hate everything about that”, said another Reddit user, echoing what fans have been speculating as of late: cash-grab live remakes.

 

As we speak, the Lion King live adaptation grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. It was a major financial success, and it became one of the highest-grossing films of 2019.

 

It became a top performer for Disney at the time despite not being loved by many, especially when Jeremy Irons didn’t return to playing his character, Scar.

 

Lilo & Stitch also made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, with a final theatrical gross of approximately $1.038 billion ($423.8 million domestically and $614.3 million internationally). It was the first Hollywood film of 2025 to cross the $1 billion milestone. The movie was badly received, though it featured a great shift in the core storyline.

 

Lilo and Nani end up orphaned after the passing of their parents. Nani,19, is so desperate to prove to a social worker that she is a fit guardian as she juggles school, work and eventually Stitch, an alien experiment adopted by Lilo as a pet. In the end, she wins custody of her sister, and they live happily ever after.

 

In the live remake, however, Nani gives her up to the state to pursue her college dreams. Fans were terribly upset, especially those from child-headed families who were inspired by the original movie to fight for guardianship of their siblings in court. The message of ‘ohana’ is taken out in the film.

 

Moana is set to be released in theatres on July 10, 2026. But fans are already disappointed before they have even bought their tickets.