Scoop of the Day
Hello, Disney fans! It’s official—Moana 2 is on the way, set to bring us another exciting adventure this Thanksgiving. According to Comic Book, however, Moana 2 was initially planned to be a Disney series. Yet after seeing the stunning animation and graphics, Disney opted to release it as a full-length theatrical film instead.
Fans of the original Moana will remember the 2016 hit movie, which starred Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho as the voices of the main characters.
Following the announcement of Moana 2, the production team shared insights on the film’s success and the emotional journey behind its creation.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Disney’s Chief of Animation, Jennifer Lee, discussed the ongoing talks about possibly transitioning Moana 2 into a streaming series despite the film already being in production.
“We constantly screen [our projects], even in drawing [phase] with sketches,” Lee stated. “It was getting bigger and bigger and more epic, and we really wanted to see it on the big screen. It creatively evolved, and it felt like an organic thing.”
After making some thoughtful decisions, Lee remarked, “We love Disney+, but it will eventually end up there. It could be showcased anywhere, but these artists craft stories that they want to share on the big screen, and we want the world to experience them in theaters.”
Dana Ledoux Miller, the co-director of Moana, also explained why transforming the animated film into a series made sense.
“It was a matter of finding a way to truly make it Moana’s story,” Miller said. “In the series, there was a lot more room to play with some of the ensemble. [The shift was about] streamlining into what we love most about Moana as our hero and adventurer. We have all of that now, and it pops so much more, especially with the scale of the big screen we live on. Every element of the adventure we were building in the series is now ten times bigger and more exciting.”
Given the past uncertainty about adapting the movie into a streaming series, I believe the production should keep Moana in movie form, with new releases every few years. Why move backward? The original film was a box office success and continues to perform well. By maintaining the story as a series of films, fans will stay engaged and excited, building anticipation for each installment and leading to a truly satisfying conclusion to the magical adventure.
