Prepare to set sail in Disney’s latest remake
Disney has officially unveiled the first full trailer for its live-action Moana, giving audiences a proper look at Catherine Lagaʻaia in the title role and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui. The film is set to land in cinemas on 10 July 2026, almost exactly a decade after the original 2016 animation first made its way onto screens.
If that feels fast, you are not imagining it. Between the original film, Moana 2 arriving in 2024, and now a live-action remake, Disney clearly has no plans to let Moana drift too far from the spotlight. In modern studio terms, ten years is apparently plenty of time to dust off a beloved hit and send it back out with real waves, real actors and a very committed wig budget.
A familiar voyage, this time in live action
From the trailer, Moana looks to be playing things fairly close to the original film’s playbook. We see Moana leaving Motunui, the ocean choosing its heroine once again, and Maui joining her on the journey beyond the reef. The footage also teases several familiar faces and creatures from the animated film, including Pua, Hei Hei, Tamatoa and Te Kā, suggesting this version is aiming more for faithful reimagining than radical overhaul.
That is probably the smartest move. The 2016 Moana remains one of Disney’s strongest recent animations, so the challenge here was never going to be reinventing the wheel. It was always going to be about whether this new version could capture the same sense of adventure, emotion and sheer sea-swept charm without feeling like a copy with a bigger effects bill.
Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui
Johnson’s return as Maui is one of the film’s biggest selling points. He voiced the character in the animated films, making this a rare case where Disney has brought back the same star to play an animated role in live action. The new trailer offers the clearest look yet at his transformation, complete with Maui’s tattoos, long hair and sizeable prosthetic work. Entertainment Weekly reports that Johnson wore a 40-pound prosthetic bodysuit for the role.
Unsurprisingly, the internet has had opinions. Some early reactions have focused less on how the film looks overall and more on Maui’s wig, which has already become a talking point online. Whether that becomes a genuine issue or just the usual trailer-week discourse remains to be seen, but it has certainly not gone unnoticed.
Catherine Lagaʻaia looks set for a breakout moment
If Johnson brings familiarity, Catherine Lagaʻaia brings fresh energy. The Australian actor steps into the role of Moana, and the early footage suggests Disney may have found a confident new lead for the franchise. The trailer also highlights the supporting cast, with John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala.
Behind the camera, the film is directed by Thomas Kail, with a screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller. Bush also co-wrote the original Moana, which should reassure fans worried this version might drift too far from what made the first film work in the first place.
The big question is whether audiences still want this remake wave
The trailer does what it needs to do. It looks expensive, polished and recognisable, with enough nostalgia baked in to tempt audiences back onboard. The question is less whether Disney can make live-action Moana look impressive, because clearly it can, and more whether viewers are still excited by these remakes in the same way they once were.
Still, Moana has a few things going for it that some of Disney’s other live-action updates did not. The story is still fresh in people’s minds, the songs remain hugely popular, and Johnson’s return gives the project a direct line back to the animated original. If Lagaʻaia’s performance lands the way the trailer suggests, Disney may have another major box office voyage on its hands.
CultureCues Final thoughts
For now, the trailer suggests a polished, faithful take that feels built to please fans of a modern Disney favourite. Whether it ends up feeling magical or merely familiar is something we will have to wait and see, but as first looks go, this is a confident one.
And yes, summer 2026 is now officially booked for at least one inevitable wave of people trying to sing How Far I’ll Go on the way home from the cinema.