We know what you're thinking: didn't Moana only come out, like, two years ago? You're not entirely wrong. Moana 2 did, in fact, drop in 2024. But if we're counting from her first ever big screen outing, our favourite Polynesian princess officially turns ten this year – which, in Hollywood terms, means she's well overdue a live-action remake.
Luckily, the Disney bosses are always one step ahead. Moana's live-action movie will be hitting screens in July and, with just months to go until her third blockbuster release, we've just been treated to the first official trailer. Packed full of idyllic shots of the sea as Moana sets sail on her ocean adventure, the new update promises to be every bit as epic as the original film, but this time, with real actors battling against the evil storm god threatening her island. From Dwayne Johnson's starring role to the film's plot, here's everything you need to know.
When will the live-action Moana movie be released?
Hitting cinemas on 10th July 2026, the new Moana film drops just in time to satisfy our summer-fuelled wanderlust. Who knows, it might even inspire your next trip. South Pacific island hopping, anyone?
Will it be available to stream on Disney+?
Absolutely. Like all Disney films, the live-action Moana will eventually join its predecessors on the studio's streaming platform. An exact date for its streaming launch is yet to be released, though, so you might have to wait a couple of months if you can't make it to the cinema.
Who’s in the cast with Dwayne Johnson?
First things first, let's get the topless elephant in the room out of the way. Ever since the Moana trailer dropped, the internet has been alight with conversation about Dwayne Johnson's “gruelling” transformation for the role of the shape-shifting demigod Maui. Having originated the role in animated films, Johnson reportedly wore “40 pounds of prosthetics” to bring the character to life – oh, and let's not forget that flowing wig.
For the titular role of Moana, we'll be introduced to Catherine Laga'aia, an Australian actor who looks pretty much identical to her animated counterpart – big bright eyes, glowing skin and a Disney princess smile. Moana is set to be Laga'aia's major breakout moment, having only briefly appeared in Amazon Prime series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart prior to her casting. If the snippets of her rendition of Moana's big musical number, “How Far I'll Go”, are anything to go by, she's about to become a superstar.
Elsewhere, the cast features John Tui as Moana's father, Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as her mother, Sina, and Rena Owen as Grandma Tala. Along the way, we'll also meet an array of adorable animal characters who help Moana on her journey, animated with photo-real precision.
What will the movie be about?
Following a tried-and-tested Disney formula, Moana's live-action debut will follow the same plot as the original 2016 film, much like the live-action remake for The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey. Need a recap? We've got you.
Picture the scene: you're a teenage girl (that's Moana) living in paradise on the fictional island of Motunui. But that idyllic existence is under threat – and turns out, you've been chosen by the ocean to save your home. The only option? Leave the island for the first time ever to set sail on a fantastic mission across the Pacific Ocean, enlisting a demigod (Dwayne Johnson) as backup as you battle the monsters that lay beyond the reef's edge. Throw in a few bangers and you have the perfect Disney musical. The original Moana was so good it was nominated for two Oscars. Fingers crossed the live-action update measures up.
