Good news, "Moana" fans! The voice actress behind the titular character has been confirmed to reprise her role in the upcoming sequel, which will be released about eight years after the first installment hit theaters.
Auli'i Cravalho Returns as Moana
It took many years, but the sequel to the hit Disney film is finally happening. We previously got a surprise release date for the movie when the entertainment giant announced that it would be on Nov. 27 this year, and now we get more good news about the casting as well.
That's one major character confirmed to have the original voice actor behind her. However, it's still unclear if Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will return as Maui, the demigod that Moana traveled with during her journey.
As reported by Gizmodo, what was originally planned as an animated series for Disney+ has now become a full-length animated movie that will have a theater release, as announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger.
As for the plot, both the entertainment giant and the actors remain silent on the matter. Iger only said that fans will get to see the two main characters and a "brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers." Among the things that might change in the sequel is its soundtrack.
It has been reported that the composer behind the iconic songs in the first film, Lin-Manuel Miranda, will join the sequel, so it might leave fans wondering whether they'll be getting hits like "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome."
According to USA Today, the music will instead be written by songwriter Abigail Barlow and composer Emily Bear, along with Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, with the latter having already worked on the first film.
'Moana' Live-Action Remake
Disney, despite the criticism it received on its previous live-action remakes, will continue to do so as it adds "Moana" to the list of remakes it plans to release. That means that we will be getting two films from the franchise.
The adaptation was first announced back in 2023 by no other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, adding that he will be playing Maui in the remake. Given that "Moana" was closely based on the culture he grew up in, Johnson is taking pride in the role, as per Teen Vogue.
"This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people's grace, mana and warrior strength. I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul," said the actor, adding that he was honored to partner with Disney to tell their story through "the realm of music & dance."
The actor said that it was in early development, and may take three to five years to recreate, but Johnson later announced an exact release date for the movie, which will be next year on June 27th. With that date, it will be seven months after the release of the animated "Moana 2" film.
