Disney doesn't intend to slow down when it comes to releasing new titles as it announced yet another film to be released this year. While a sequel to "Moana" was already announced years ago, it comes as a surprise that the next movie in the franchise will be released this 2024.
Moana 2
It's been a while since the first movie was released back in 2016, yet some people still can't help but sing Moana's "How Far I'll Go" or Maui's "You're Welcome" whenever it plays. It looks like we might be getting more catchy tunes soon with the November 27th release date.
"Moana 2" will take us on another adventure along with Moana and Maui, and perhaps a few new characters that we already know we'll love. The sequel will be directed by Dave Derrick Jr., who is known for his work with movies like "Raya and the Last Dragon" and "Megamind."
The team will also include several Grammy winners and nominees such as Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina for the music, as reported by Gizmodo, so fans can be optimistic about the potential new songs.
As for the plot, it was announced that Moana will go back out to the sea after "receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced."
Disney CEO Bob Iger in his announcement said that they cannot wait to give fans more of Moana and Maui once it comes to theaters this November, which confirms that the sequel will no longer be the initially planned series for Disney+.
There's yet to be an announcement whether the original voice actors for the movie, Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be reprising their roles for "Moana 2," but we hope that's the case since both have played a significant role in making the first movie great.
Disney's Latest Release Was a Flop
"Moana 2" might be the spark that will reignite the Disney magic after its not-so-remarkable release for "Wish." The fantasy film revolves around a secretly power-hungry wish-granting king and a young girl who wants his grandfather's wish to come true.
While the premise of the movie does sound Disney-like, people who watched the movie found that it was lacking in many aspects such as the animation and the music, and the fact that the story did not provide the audiences anything new to cling to.
What's worse is that the movie was supposed to mark Disney's 100th year. There's even speculation stating that "Wish" also served as the origin story of the wishing star, as reported by CBR, which is one of the entertainment giant's iconic symbols.
Critics expressed their disappointment over the film, saying that it lacked inventiveness and that the music lyrics were nothing extraordinary. Some say that the character developments were shallow, even taking shots at Disney saying that they should've done better given its resources.
