Behold, the First Trailer for Live-Action Moana

Following a teaser released in November 2025, Disney has unveiled the first full trailer for the live-action remake of Moana. Catherine Lagaaia stars as Moana, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui. The film retells the story of the beloved animated movie, following Moana and Maui as they journey across the ocean to restore prosperity to Moana's people on the island of Motunui. Directed by Thomas Kail (Hamilton), Dwayne Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are among the film's producers. The cast features John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. The trailer offers a glimpse of the Cave of the Ancestors and Maui's initial meeting with Moana, echoing the famous scene from the animated version, including his signature "cheehoo!" Viewers also get a peek at the live-action version of the Realm of Monsters and a look at what appears to be the lava demon. Maui transforms into a whale in one scene. The trailer concludes with Moana declaring that she is not a princess but the chief's daughter and the leader of her people.

Live-Action Moana Premieres July 2026 with Lin-Manuel Miranda's Songs, Auli'i Cravalho as EP

The film will feature songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, as in the original. Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller wrote the script. Tiana Nonosina Liufau worked on the choreography, and Liz McGregor served as the costume designer. Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the original animated film and sequel, is an executive producer on the live-action movie. Moana will premiere in theaters on July 10, 2026.

In Case You Missed It

In other exciting news from the House of Mouse, Sophie Laurent recently dropped a fascinating article on our sister site Disney Confirms Live-Action Remake of One of Its Best Animated Films revealing that Disney is set to breathe new life into the enchanting tale of Rapunzel with a live-action Tangled remake. With Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel and Teagan Croft & Milo Manheim stepping into iconic roles, this promises to be another captivating chapter in Disney's ongoing reimagination of its animated classics, slated for sometime in 2027 or early 2028. Meanwhile, in celebrity fashion news, Carlos Mendoza explored Dakota Johnson's latest gig as the face of Calvin Klein's new ad campaign Dakota Johnson Stars in Calvin Klein Campaign last week, where you can find sultry, candid shots of the "Fifty Shades" star at her California home and learn more about the inspired-by-the-90s jeans collection she's loving. Speaking of nostalgia, our previous post took a look at the evolution of Pixar's beloved Toy Story franchise, leading us to Jonathan Dubinski's latest piece First Trailer for Toy Story 5 where he dives into the newly released trailer for Toy Story 5, showcasing Woody, Buzz, and friends facing off against Lilypad, an innovative tablet threatening Bonnie's playtime. With a stellar cast including Keanu Reeves as Duke Caboom, this installment promises to explore technology versus toys through Pixar's signature storytelling.

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