Back in January, fans got theirfirst lookat Disney’s new animated adventureMoana, which is set to hit theaters on November 23. While the studio promoted this upcoming movie during CinemaCon in April, we haven’t seen any footage since January, but that all changed today when Disney released the first trailer and new photos. This trailer reveals the mighty exploits of the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), although youngMoana(Auli’i Cravalho) doesn’t seem terribly impressed.
In April,Dwayne Johnsonrevealed that he will be singing in the movie. Unfortunately, this trailer doesn’t feature any of the tunes sung byThe Rock, but hopefully the next trailer will feature some of this music. It was actuallyAuli’i Cravalho’s singing that helped her land the role, after an Oahu, Hawaii casting agent discovered the teenager’s vocal abilities during a charity competition. She was then flown to Los Angeles, where she met directorsRon ClementsandJohn Musker, and was eventually crowned the new Disney Princess.
Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped - and no one today knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comesMoana, a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors' unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-godMaui(voice ofDwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity
Ron ClementsandJohn Musker(The Little Mermaid,The Princess and the Frog,Aladdin) are directingMoanafrom their own screenplay, withOsnat Shurer(Oscar-nominated Pixar shortsOne Man Band,Boundin) producing. The music will be composed by Tony-winnerLin-Manuel Miranda(Broadway’sHamilton, Tony-winningIn the Heights), Grammy-winning composerMark Mancina(Speed,Tarzan,The Lion King) andOpetaia Foa’i(founder and lead singer of the world music award-winning bandTe Vaka).Moanahas been given a Wednesday, November 23release date, the day before Thanksgiving, where it will go up againstBad Santa 2andAllied.
No other voice cast members have been announced at this time for thisanimated adventure, but we still have several months left untilMoanahits theaters in November. We’ll be sure to keep you posted with all of the latest updates regardingMoana, so be sure to stay tuned. In the meantime, take a look at the first trailer and new photos fromMoanabelow.
