After months of ready, Disney lastly dropped the total trailer for the live-action Moana, and that alone was sufficient to get individuals speaking. The hype was already there as a result of Moana has stayed one in all Disney’s most beloved trendy franchises for years; Disney CEO Bathroom Iger stated the unique 2016 movie crossed 1 billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most-streamed film of 2023 on any platform within the U.S. So this wasn’t simply one other remake rollout — it felt like Disney cashing in on a film individuals nonetheless genuinely love, whereas additionally betting that audiences need to see that world, these songs, and people characters dropped at life in a brand new manner.
And judging by the trailer, Disney isn’t being refined about giving followers the hits. We see Catherine Laga’aia step into Moana’s world because the ocean-chosen wayfinder, with the footage teasing her journey past Motunui, her assembly with Maui, and the acquainted mission to revive prosperity to her individuals. The trailer additionally leans arduous into the recognizable stuff followers needed again: “How Far I’ll Go,” the open water journey, Heihei, Pua, Tamatoa, and the bigger fantasy creatures that helped make the animated model such a phenomenon within the first place. The official synopsis says Moana solutions the ocean’s name and voyages past the reef with Maui on an unforgettable journey, and the footage positively sells that blend of nostalgia, spectacle, and big-screen musical vitality.
However let’s be actual: as quickly as Maui popped up, a giant chunk of the web stopped speaking concerning the canoe, the ocean, or the plot and began speaking about The Rock’s hair. Dwayne Johnson’s live-action Maui look — lengthy hair, tattoos, the total demigod presentation — immediately turned one of many trailer’s largest dialog factors. Some followers had been amused, some had been impressed by how dedicated the transformation was, and a few completely clowned the wig, calling it distracting and saying it seemed extra like cosplay than a seamless live-action translation. Johnson and director Thomas Kali have each defined that the look was rigorously thought-about, particularly since Maui’s hair is integral to the character and the workforce had to determine how it will transfer, raise, and even look soaking moist throughout all these water scenes.
That’s additionally the place the film will get sort of wild behind the scenes, as a result of Johnson wasn’t simply throwing on a wig and calling it a day. He advised Leisure Weekly that turning into Maui meant working by means of an additional 40 kilos of prosthetics, hair, and physique items, with the transformation taking about 2.5 hours every day. Kali stated the workforce needed a sensible look with actual texture somewhat than relying absolutely on visible results, and Johnson stated the method was grueling however significant due to how deeply he connects to Maui and the Polynesian roots of the story. So sure, the wig is humorous web bait, however it additionally represents how arduous they went to make Maui really feel large, mythic, and bodily in reside motion.
As for the film itself, Moana hits U.S. theaters on July 10, 2026. It stars Catherine Laga’aia as Moana, with Dwayne Johnson reprising Maui, alongside John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. The movie is directed by Thomas Kali and produced by Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with Auli’i Cravalho — the unique voice of Moana — among the many government producers. The movie options unique songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, and Mark Mancina, with Mancina additionally composing the rating. So, whether or not individuals find yourself loving the remake, debating whether or not it got here too quickly, or spending the following few months making wig jokes, one factor is obvious: Disney is aware of precisely how a lot consideration Moana nonetheless instructions, and now The Rock’s hair is a part of the rollout, whether or not anyone requested for it or not. Take a look at the movie’s official trailer under and share your ideas!
RELATED: 5 Key Takeaways From The ‘Spider-Man: Model New Day’ Trailer
