Esther Elliott JadeTimes Staff
Esther is a JadeTimes Reporter covering culture.
Since the release of the first Moana movie in 2016, it has made $225 USD according to a 2017 Forbes article ranking higher than Frozen, Zootopia, and The Lion King.
Moana 2 ‘s release has been confirmed for November 27th, 2024 where Moana sets sail on another journey after receiving what Disney refers to as “an unexpected call from the ancestors”.
New Adventures
The first Moana film was unique in that it stepped out of the mold of traditional Disney Princesses. Moana is Disney's first Polynesian princess (played by Auli’i Cravalho) who sets out on a journey to restore the heart of Te Fiti with the help of the demigod, Maui (played by Dwayne Johnson,).
Another thing that made the first movie unique is that Moana didn't and still doesn't have a love interest.
The new film will expand on the themes identity and leadership as it did in the first film taking Moana down a path that takes down Oceania to new islands, cultures, challenges and new characters.
The film delves deeper into Polynesian mythology, introducing mythical creatures and legends that have never been depicted on screen. Disney promised as much authenticity as possible in its cultural representations while working with Polynesian cultural experts.
New Music
The original Moana featured music by Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina. Moana 2 will feature music from grammy winners and Bridgerton Musical writers Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Given how young the artists are, Abigail, 25, and Emily, 23, according to their website they will be the youngest artists to write music for a Disney film.
Moana 2 brings together familiar faces, new adventures, and even richer cultural stories that will strike a chord with old and new audiences alike as the world waits for its release. Far from being Moana's last voyage, it would seem that hers is yet another story of courage, growth, and sustaining connection.
More updates to come as we count down to the release of Moana 2!