Moana and Maui are sailing back into theaters later this year — and are expected to make a big splash.
Disney announced on Wednesday, February 7, that the lovable duo, along with a new crew of unlikely seafarers, will be returning to the big screen for another grand adventure in Moana 2, which is set to hit theaters on Monday, November 27.
Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, revealed that the sequel’s script was actually originally intended for TV, but that all changed after everyone saw it. “We were impressed by what we saw and knew it deserved a theatrical release,” Iger revealed on CNBC on Wednesday, per Variety. “Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise, and we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters this November.”
This time around, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) will head out on an epic voyage to the far seas of Oceania with her friends after she receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors. Along the way, they’ll find themselves in dangerous, long-lost waters like they’ve never experienced before.
Alongside the synopsis of the film, Disney released another surprise: a first-look teaser trailer. In it, viewers get a glimpse of an island, where Moana is standing on a beautiful tropical beach. Just as the sun is setting, she blows on a conch shell as the camera quickly pans out, showing her beloved boat. Afterward, Maui’s (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) voice can be heard in the background as he lets out his signature call, “Cheerhoo!”
The sequel will be directed by Dave Derrick Jr. and include some of the same songwriters from the 2016 film. However, while Lin-Manuel Miranda was behind some of the biggest tracks from the original movie, including, “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome,” he isn’t expected to return for part two. Instead, the duo of Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, as well as Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, who worked on the first film, will be writing the music.
Besides getting another animated film, you can also still expect the live-action Moana, starring Johnson, 51, to come out in 2025.
Moana 2 hits theaters on Monday, November 27.
