Moana 2could be seen again sooner rather than later thanks to Disney’s live-actionMoanafranchise, meaning a better version of the former could be delivered. By the time ofMoana 2’s ending, the general consensus was that the movie did not live up to the standard set by its predecessor. AlthoughMoana 2’s box office numbersare incredible, further proving Disney’s animated commercial dominance continues afterInside Out 2, it was overall deemed lesser than the first movie.
This is not to say that the Disney sequel is outright bad, by any stretch.Moana 2’s Rotten Tomatoes scoreof 64% is still positive, though it is much lower than the 95% of 2016’sMoana.On the whole, it is clear thatMoana 2resonated less with critics despite its box office proving the opposite with general audiences. In the coming years, theMoanafranchise is not set to slow down with a live-action remake coming and thepotentiality ofMoana 3’s story. Via the former, a better version of the poorer-receivedMoana 2can be provided.
A Live-Action Moana Sequel Can Fix Moana 2’s Biggest Issues
Disney’s Live-Action Remake Machine Has A Rare Advantage
In 2026, another ofDisney’s live-action remakesis coming in the form ofMoana. Regardless of the overall issues audiences seem to have with Disney’s live-action versions of the studio’s animated classics, it is all but confirmed thatMoanawill be a big hit at the box office. After the release of the animatedMoana 2, Disney has the roadmap to craft a live-action franchise stemming from 2026’sMoana. When the inevitable live-action remake ofMoana 2comes, Disney has the rare opportunity to improve upon its animated counterpart.
Disney Live-Action Remakes Ranked Worst To Best
Recently, Disney has cashed in on nostalgia and is making many live-action remakes of some of their animated classics. Letterboxd ranks the best here.
Moana 2’s issues stem primarily from its production, specifically how things were different from the development of 2016’sMoana. Perhaps the most glaring issue is thatMoana 2was originally crafted as a TV show. Bob Iger’s reinstatement as Disney CEO in 2022 saw the studio refocus on cinematic releases and sequels, pivoting theMoanaDisney+ series into a movie. This madeMoana 2’s story feel notably choppy, lacking the flow of a feature film, with the seams between where the initial episodes began and ended being visible in the final product.
The supporting characters of the film - and their dynamics with each other - were underdeveloped…
This made the story ofMoana 2underwhelming as a result, leading to further issues. The supporting characters of the film - and their dynamics with each other - were underdeveloped, fromMoana 2’s antihero Matangi to Moana’s new crew. Even the titular character’s arc was underwhelming as a somewhat rehash of the first movie’s journey, leading her connection with Maui to feel like an afterthought. Finally, the absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda forMoana 2’s soundtrackwas unmistakable, with the songs - while enjoyable - falling short ofMoana’s incredible musical numbers.
Moana 2’s Live-Action Remake Will Benefit From The Animated Movie’s Mistakes
These Mistakes Can Be Rectified Going Forward
Disney’s live-action remakes certainly have their issues, butMoana 2’s reimagining may prove to be an unlikely case in which it improves upon its animated source material. All the aforementioned mistakes that were made duringMoana 2’s production can be resolved when the inevitable live-action version happens. For example,the rushed story and underdeveloped characters will undoubtedly be resolved in the live-action remake ofMoana 2,given that every single live-action version of a Disney classic has had a notably longer runtime than their animated counterparts.
This longer runtime will giveMoana 2’s story and characters room to breathe, fleshing them out in a way the first movie allowed for and the TV-to-movie timeline of the 2024 sequel did not. Whichever filmmakers are eventually chosen to craftMoana 2will be well aware of the aspects that did not work about it when producing the remake, allowing these issues to be ironed out well ahead of release. Furthermore,Moana 2’s songscould be added to or new ones entirely could be crafted should Lin-Manuel Miranda return.
Miranda is involved in the live-action remake of the firstMoana, hinting that he could return for a sequel if it gets to that point.
A Live-Action Version Of Moana 2 Could Be A Rare Improvement For Disney
Moana Provides Uncommon Benefits To Disney’s Live-Action Remakes
As alluded to, Disney’s live-action remakes have been somewhat divisive. Although the brand power of Disney remains in that most, if not all, live-action remakes of the studio’s films have been commercially successful, most of them are deemed inferior as stories when compared to the animated classics. There are some outliers - like 2016’sThe Jungle Book -butas a whole, Disney’s live-action remakes have been less beloved than the original tales that were held in such high regard by several generations.
92%
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95%
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Beauty and the Beast
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84%
Now,Moana 2has the opportunity to change that.Moana 2is evidently a less beloved movie than the likes ofThe Lion King, Aladdin,orCinderellato name a few. The latter three movies are often considered perfect by their fans, whileMoana 2’s problems have been highlighted. In remakingMoana 2as a live-action story, Disney has the infrequent chance to actually improve upon the animated movie on which it is based, by rectifying the standout mistakes being raised by audiences across the world.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
