Actor Dwayne Johnson recently announced on Twitter that he is teaming up with Disney to develop a live-action remake of the 2016 animated musical film Moana. Johnson played the role of Maui, the demigod of the wind and sea, in the original movie and will reprise his role in the upcoming live-action adaptation. The film will be produced by Seven Bucks Productions, along with Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia, and will be written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller. However, there is currently no director attached to the project.
Moana tells the story of a young woman who disobeys her father, the chief of an island that is dealing with an impending ecological disaster, and embarks on a quest to reunite a mystical relic with its owner, a goddess named Te Fiti. Along the way, she releases Maui from his island prison, is captured by a monstrous crab and finds the strength to become the chief her father believed she could be.
In his announcement, Johnson emphasized the significance of the story to him, stating that “this story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength.” He also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to reunite with Maui, a character inspired by the mana and spirit of his late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia.
Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced the titular character in the original, will be involved with the film as an executive producer, along with Scott Sheldon of Flynn Picture Co. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was involved in the song-making for the animated film, will not be involved with the live-action adaptation.
Moana was a critical and commercial success, earning over $665 million worldwide and receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film. The film’s score, which was composed by Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, also received widespread acclaim, with the song “How Far I’ll Go” being nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
Overall, the announcement of a live-action Moana remake has generated excitement among fans of the original film, who are eager to see how the story and characters will be translated to the big screen in a new format.
