Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia. Everything we know about Disney's liveaction Moana: Release date, cast, and more Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia. By Randall Colburn :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RandallColburnauthorphotoe7e8b48d9f8645588439077e721a5f48.jpg) Randall Colburn Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at . His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications. EW's editorial guidelines November 17, 2025 4:59 p.m.

Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia.

Everything we know about Disney's live-action Moana: Release date, cast, and more

Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

EW's editorial guidelines

November 17, 2025 4:59 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Catherina Laga'aia as Moana in Disney's live-action 'Moana'. Credit:

- *Moana* is getting a live-action remake starring newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as the titular heroine.

- Dwayne Johnson is producing the film and reprising his role as the hulking demigod Maui.

- *Moana* is sailing into theaters on July 10, 2026.

The latest Disney classic to get the "live-action" treatment is *Moana*, the 2016 animated hit about a Polynesian island girl, a demigod, and the ancient art of wayfinding. The upcoming film follows 2025's remake *Lilo & Stitch*, which raked in more than $1 billion worldwide.

But how far will this new iteration of *Moana* go at the box office? Considering that 2024's sequel *Moana 2* also surpassed a $1 billion global haul, its bound to become a staple of playrooms the world over. Parents, prepare to add this one to the rotation.

You might have questions about the live-action movie. Is this the same *Moana* as the 2016 film? Are there any returning stars? And when does it come out? What can we say except "you're welcome" for the answers below.**

What is Moana about?

Moana in Disney's live-action 'Moana'.

Disney's live-action *Moana* isn't reinventing the wheel. Like all of the studio's reimagined classics, the movie will hew close to its source material with the addition of flesh-and-blood performers, CGI flourishes, and probably a few new sequences.

Like the original, it follows the titular heroine, the daughter of the chief of a coastal village, as she sets sail in search of a missing demigod to help save her island home. The story also features Moana's embrace of wayfinding, an ancient art of oceanic navigation.

Stepping in for John Musker and Ron Clements, who directed the 2016 original, is Thomas Kail, the Tony-winning director of the Broadway productions of *In the Heights* and *Hamilton*. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-created both of those productions and penned music for *Moana*, returns as a producer.

'Moana 2' stars Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reflect on the unexpected path to their surprise sequel

Dwayne Johnson says parents keep telling him they're 'so sick' of his 'Moana' song

"It's a movie that had great resonance beyond the fact that my pal worked on it all those years ago," Kail said in a June 2024 interview with *Deadline*. "It's a movie that has a connection to the Earth. It's a movie that has a soul. Being around that has been invigorating. Being around this music again, in this way, as someone who now gets to try to build it and not just admire it has been wonderful."

Original star Dwayne Johnson joins Miranda as a producer alongside Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia. Auli'I Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the first two films, is an executive producer with Kail, Scott Sheldon, and Charles Newirth.**

Is there a Moana live-action trailer?

The first teaser trailer for *Moana* arrived on Nov. 17, 2025, roughly two-and-a-half years after it was announced by Johnson and Cravalho.

The minute-long clip highlights Catherine Laga'aia, the actress stepping into the role first voiced by Cravalho. Snippets of the reimagined songs and score accompany vivid shots of Moana's home island of Motunui.**

We also catch a few glimpses of a shapeshifting Dwayne Johnson, here reprising his role of the demigod Maui, who turns from beetle to human to hawk.**

Who's in the Moana live-action cast?

A hawk in Disney's live-action 'Moana'.

Though Cravalho is an executive producer on the live-action *Moana*, she won't be reprising her role as the titular character, whom she voiced in *Moana* and *Moana 2*.

"I believe it is absolutely vital that casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell," she said back in May 2023. "So as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana's courageous spirit, undeniable wit, and emotional strength. I am truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent, to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that helped inspire her story."

That actress is Laga'aia, an 18-year-old Australian newcomer. "I'm really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites," she said in a press release. "My grandfather comes from Fa'aala, Palauli, in Savai'i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of 'Upolu in Samoa. I'm honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me."

Johnson, meanwhile, will return as Maui, the tattooed, bulked-up, hook-wielding demigod he voiced in *Moana* and its sequel.

Speaking with *Extra* in late 2024, Johnson discussed embodying the physical Maui for the live-action adaptation. "I have a handle on who Maui is: I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration, I can access things, you got it," he said. "The moment I stepped on set as live-action Maui, I realized right away, 'Oh, wow. This is different, in terms of, this is real flesh and blood and skin and bones, and it becomes real all of a sudden. So then it's almost like getting into my grandfather's skin."

Playing Chief Tui, Moana's father, is John Tui, who previously collaborated with Johnson in *Hobbs & Shaw* (2019) and *Young Rock* (2021–2023). Moana's mother, Sina, will be played by Frankie Adams (*The Expanse*), while Gramma Tala will be portrayed by Rena Owen (*The Orville*).**

Is there a Moana live-action release date?

*Moana* sets sail once again on July 10, 2026.**

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.*****

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Movies"

Read More

---

Source: Movies

Published: November 18, 2025 at 12:38AM on Source: RED MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle