Why Disney's live-action Moana remake is happening now

Questions are swirling around the timing of Disney's live-action "Moana," released a decade after its beloved animated predecessor and following the recent "Moana 2" in 2024. While ten years might seem long, it's a relatively short gap compared to other Disney remakes like "The Little Mermaid" (34 years) and "Snow White" (88 years).

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This is such an important time to kind of get new faces out there.

The film sees Moana, portrayed by Catherine Lagaʻaia, embark on a journey with demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson, to restore her people's prosperity. Lagaʻaia, a Sydney native, highlighted the significance of this moment for representation, stating, "This is such an important time to kind of get new faces out there." She added that the live-action version extends the original's introduction to Pacific Islander culture by presenting it through "real flesh and real blood."

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It gave people a touchstone on what it looks like to be a part of that culture. And what our movie does is it kind of just extends what that movie first introduced. So, we kind of bring people into a realised world with real flesh and real blood, which is a really kind of cool thing for people to get to see.

Dwayne Johnson, also a producer on the film, acknowledged the debate but defended the remake's relevance. "I love the question," he told ABC News. "But to be honest with you, I didn't want to just succumb to this idea that, well, you need 20 years before you make something into a live action." He emphasized the universal themes that resonate with audiences and the honor in representing Polynesian culture, which he described as "vibrant and it's alive."

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I love the question. But to be honest with you, I didn't want to just succumb to this idea that, well, you need 20 years before you make something into a live action.

Despite criticisms that Disney is leaning on established franchises instead of creating new stories, the "Moana" team believes this reimagining is meaningful. Johnson stated, "There's a thousand reasons why not to do it but also there's a hundred thousand reasons to do it." The project holds deep personal significance for him, aiming to do justice to the culture he cherishes.

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I've always felt that with our culture, with our Polynesian culture, is vibrant and it's alive. And there are so many aspects about our culture that when transformed from animation to live action, I think, if you do it right, you got a shot at creating something pretty good.