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Last year around this time, Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch was about to arrive, and fans wondered if the studio would be able to bounce back from its live-action Snow White stumble and resume its streak of hit remakes. And… yep, no problem there. So the live-action Moana will be diving into much safer waters when it arrives July 10, even if this latest trailer suggests it’s basically a shot-for-shot remake of the original film. That includes Dwayne Johnson as Maui, complete with animated tattoos.
There’s also plenty of built-in goodwill for Moana as a franchise, including its animated sequel, Moana 2, which was a smash hit in 2024 after being retooled from Disney+ series to theatrical film.
This new live-action take on Moana stars Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana alongside Johnson, who also voiced Maui in the animated films.
Disney also shared a new featurette, “Artistry of Moana,” offering a behind-the-scenes peek at the film with director Thomas Kail as well as Laga’aia, Johnson, and the film’s costume designer and choreographer.
The rest of the cast includes John Tui as Moana’s father, Chief Tui; Frankie Adams as Moana’s mother, Sina; and Rena Owen as Moana’s Gramma Tala. Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of Moana in the animated films, is among Moana‘s executive producers. The film features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, and an original score composed by Mancina.
There’s also a new poster today:
Moana hits theaters July 10.
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