'Moana 2' Theatrical Release Announced for This November

The sequel to the Disney animated film Moana, which was released in 2016, will be released this November. This news came as a surprise, especially since there was no prior information about it.

Disney released the first teaser trailer and stills for Moana 2 yesterday. Originally, the film was planned as a TV series following the story of Moana from 2016. However, Disney CEO Bob Iger was deeply impressed by some of the scenes and decided that releasing it as a film would be more appropriate than a series.

In the first teaser, Moana is seen blowing a large conch shell to summon her crew. The beautiful ocean, a major feature of the first film, also appears in this teaser. In the stills, Moana and Maui are on a ship, looking down at a whale with mysterious glowing tattoos.

According to the information released by Disney, Moana sends a message to Motunui, the ancestral island she embarked on a journey to find. Moana, Maui, and some unexpected crew members will embark on a voyage facing even greater threats than before.

Moana 1 was released at the end of 2016 and grossed over $640 million worldwide. It received positive reviews for its beautiful depiction of the ocean and its adaptation of New Zealand Maori mythology into a Disney animation style. Personally, it reminds me of the Bionicle toys I played with as a child, and the visuals are stunning, making it one of my favorite Disney animations.

However, there are also analyses suggesting that the announcement of Moana 2 is due to Disney's poor performance in 2023. The Disney 100th-anniversary animated film 'Wish' was a box office disaster, and films like 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' and 'The Marvels' also underperformed. Disney desperately needs to bring back core franchises to theaters, like Moana 2.

In addition to Moana 2, a live-action film featuring Maui as the protagonist will be released in 2025. Dwayne Johnson will be playing Maui in the live-action adaptation.