[ad_1]
moana 2
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Moana and Maui are reaching the ocean once again. In a surprise move, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company will release an animated sequel to the 2016 film that will hit theaters on November 27. The announcement came during an earnings call in which Iger emphasized that the ship was righting itself on the Disney film. and television divisions several months after he admitted The company had done too much too quickly to feed Disney+, leading to some cases of lower-quality projects hitting the market.
Dave Derrick Jr., who worked on the original film as a storyboard artist, will direct the new sequel, which is separate from a live-action remake of moana starring Dwayne Johnson. Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina are writing the music.
Iger revealed the moana The sequel was initially developed as a television series, before being turned into a film. “We were impressed by what we saw and knew it deserved a theatrical release,” Iger said during the earnings conference call. He added that the film surpassed one billion minutes of viewing on Disney+ in 2023, underscoring its continued cultural cachet.
Among the news that Iger also shared was a big coup for Disney+, the acquisition of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. The company also revealed a release date for Zootopia 2 (November 26, 2025).
On Wednesday, Iger said the company was “leaning a little more toward sequels and franchises.” He added that Marvel Studios, which has scaled back production, “is starting to focus on some of its stronger franchises in the future, but I’ll leave it at that.”
The original moana The Voice starred Auliʻi Cravalho as Moana, a young girl who embarks on an adventure against the wishes of her father, the chief of the Polynesian island of Motunui. Along the way, she teams up with Maui, a demigod of wind and sea voiced by Johnson. Johnson and Cravalho are expected to reprise their roles.
The animated musical film grossed $643.3 million worldwide and received Oscar nominations for best animated film and best song for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “How Far I’ll Go.”
Ron Clements and John Musker directed the 2016 film. Miranda, Mark Mancina and Foa’i were the composers.
He moana The news comes as the studio reconsiders its franchise strategy after several high-profile sequels disappointed last year, with underperforming titles including Indiana Jones and the dial of destiny and the wonders. Animation has also been a struggle in recent years, with Pixar Light-year and Disney animations Strange world bombing in 2022. Pixar feature from last year Elementary was a bright spot, with the sleeper hit earning nearly half a billion dollars worldwide.
Almost a year ago, in March 2023, Iger suggested that the company would be more precise in choosing to greenlight sequels, particularly the third or fourth installment. “Sequels usually work well for us, but do we need a third or a fourth, for example? Or is it time to turn to other characters? Iger said, referring specifically to Marvel.