Disney has finally dropped the official teaser for its live-action remake of Moana, giving fans a long-awaited glimpse at how the once-animated scenery and characters come to life. What can they except you’re welcome?
Posted Monday (Nov. 17), the minute-long trailer waits until the very end to show Catherine Lagaʻaia — the 18-year-old actress tapped to portray the character originally voiced by Auli’i Cravalho — up close. Instead, it weaves shots of Moana running her hand through the ocean and exploring the scenery of the Pacific Islands as she sings “I Am Moana.”
Dwayne Johnson, who will reprise his role as demigod Maui in the live-action film, is only shown momentarily from the back, leaping off a cliff into the water. “I am the girl who loves my island/ I’m the girl who loves the sea/ It calls me,” Laga’aia belts beautifully, the camera zooming in on her face at the end of the trailer as she grabs onto the sails of a ship.
The updated Moana is set to hit theaters July 10, 2026, a full decade after the original animated version premiered. The film was an immediate sensation, as was its music; the soundtrack spent 62 weeks atop the Billboard Soundtracks chart and reached No. 2 on the overall Billboard 200.
Eight years later, Disney released Moana 2, debuting in the top 10 of several Billboard charts with the sequel’s soundtrack. Cravalho voiced the franchise’s titular character in both animated films, but while she does not reprise her breakout role in the live-action, she is on board as an executive producer.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career,” she said in a 2023 Instagram video shortly after the remake was announced. “I am truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures and communities that help inspire her story. And I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come.”
Watch the teaser for the live-action Moana remake below.
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