Dwayne Johnson Confirms Moana 3
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- Dwayne Johnson confirmed at a Rio de Janeiro press conference that 'Moana 3' is in development, with Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller set to pen the threequel after first writing the live-action remake.
- 'Moana 2' earned $1.059 billion worldwide after a record-setting $225 million opening around Thanksgiving 2024; the sequel was originally developed as a Disney+ streaming title before being retooled into a theatrical feature.
- The original 'Moana' (2016) generated $680 million at the global box office and later became one of Disney+'s most-watched streaming titles.
- Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho are expected to reprise their voice roles as Maui and the Polynesian heroine in the third installment; plot details have not been revealed.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote 'How Far I'll Go' and 'You're Welcome' for the first film, did not return for 'Moana 2'; Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear took over songwriting duties, and the music team for 'Moana 3' is unclear.
- Before 'Moana 3' sails to theaters, Disney will release its live-action 'Moana' on July 10, directed by Thomas Kail in his feature debut and starring Johnson alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia.
Why it matters: Disney is fast-tracking 'Moana 3' after the sequel crossed $1.059 billion worldwide, doubling down on theatrical animation for a franchise that was originally shelved as a Disney+ title. With Bush and Miller writing both the live-action remake and the threequel, Disney is consolidating creative oversight across the property's expansion — a notable course-correction after the studio initially sidelined 'Moana 2' to streaming.
