Is Disney releasing a sequel after announcing the new movie?

Disney is now working on an animation Moana 2 after Dwayne Johnson’s announcement of a new adaptation of the original film?

Disney has confirmed development for a number of animated sequels in recent weeks, including titles such as Frozen 3, Zootopia 2and even Toy Story 5.

In the same announcement spree, superstar Dwayne Johnson announced it “a live action we repeat Moana is in the works” as Disney takes another stab at the hit musical from 2016. It will be produced by Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, and Moana voice actress Auli’i Cravalho is also an executive producer.

And with so many other animated follow-ups under Disney’s supervision, there are already many wondering if this is a follow-up to Johnson’s first efforts with House of Mouse.

Is Moana 2 happening?

Currently, there are no official plans for an animation Moana 2 film being developed for theatrical release.

However, in January 2022, Disney confirmed that a Moana A sequel to the series was in the works for release on Disney+. This will continue the story of the young heroine under director David G. Derrick Jr., who first joined the Disney team with his work on the original Moana in 2016.

Rumors suggest that a theatrical sequel of MoanaHis story was scrapped in favor of Dwayne Johnson’s retelling of the original film, although this has yet to be officially confirmed by Disney.

Is there a new Moana coming out in 2023?

Without any indication that Moana 2 It’s officially in development, it’s pretty safe to say that this sequel won’t be one of Disney’s 2023 releases.

Animated films take years of preparation and development, and Disney almost always announces its plans for films well in advance of release. As we are already four months into the year, the chances are slim Moana 2 will make its way to theaters before the end of 2023, even leaning closer to the “none” side of that spectrum.

Currently, Walt Disney Animation Studios is preparing for its release Wishwhich will hit theaters on November 22, 2023.

What will Moana 2 be called?

More often than not, Disney just uses numerical titles for their animated sequels, as seen most recently with the aforementioned Frosted, Zootopiaand The history of games movie theater. But if Disney decides to veer off that path Moana 2there are a few different options.

While something like “The Way of Water” could work with Moana’s deep connection to the ocean, Disney is sure to avoid doubling down on a title like this after the wildly successful Avatar: The Way of Water.

One of the songs from the first film, such as “How Far I’ll Go” or “We Know The Way” could serve as inspiration for the title, but it will all depend on the details of the plot for the sequel. At this juncture, Moana 2 would seemingly be the most likely choice for the title, though Disney could certainly change things up once a sequel is officially on the table.

Who will be the villain of Moana 2?

Moana pitted the titular heroine against the powerful lava-based villain Te Ka, who was eventually revealed to be the Motonui goddess Te Fiti as Maui returned her heart. Now that the island has found peace once again and Maui is on his next quest, there are more than a few possibilities as to who could be the next villain in Moana 2.

Disney could introduce another mythical being similar to Te Fiti, either with ties to Maui or hidden in a location Moana explores on her journey. The sequel could also take things to a more grounded narrative and have the antagonists be an invading warrior tribe or even another country that invades Motonui’s land after hearing about the nation’s resurgence.

This movie will also likely take place a few years after the original Moana in terms of timeline, giving the Motonuian chieftain’s daughter many more challenges to face as she grows into adulthood.

Will Moana and Maui reunite in Moana 2?

Considering the 2016 way Moana is over, it would be a shock if we never see Auli’i Cravalho’s heroine reunite with Dwayne Johnson “shaper, demigod of wind and sea and hero of men” Maui. The Rock’s powerful hero was the main name in the original film, and since he is already producing and starring in the live-action film, his inclusion in Moana 2 it’s almost a guarantee.

At the end of the first film, Maui was seen soaring alongside Moana and her people over the ocean in the form of a giant hawk, as Moana showed her people the ways of the pathfinder.

While she may not be with Motonui’s young leader at the start of a potential sequel, their paths will almost certainly cross once her next journey begins.

Will Maui betray Moana?

Along with Moana’s own character development in the first film, Dwayne Johnson’s Maui went on his own journey of self-discovery as he found his magical fish hook and regained his powers. Much of the story even saw him change personally, from leaving Moana in the dust on his abandoned island, to fully supporting her in the battle against Te Ka.

Barring any surprises and minus a few minor skirmishes, fans expect the relationship between Maui and Moana to be solid for their next meeting. An exception to this idea could be if Moana feels that Maui has abandoned her if there is an extended separation between them, but seeing them bond at the end of the first movie seemed to create a strong bond for them going forward.

When is Moana’s Disney+ series coming out?

With the aforementioned Moana The Disney+ series confirmed for early 2023, the project is likely in the early stages of development right now.

While the voice work won’t last long, Disney will be looking to make sure the animation for this new streaming show is top-notch in the coming months. That likely means fans shouldn’t expect Moana to return to the small or big screen until at least 2024, prompting a possible Moana 2 back even more then.

Moana now streaming on Disney+.