Moana Live Action 2026: Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Full Guide

Disney’s live-action Moana arrives in theaters on July 10, 2026 — exactly ten years after the 2016 animated film. Catherine Laga’aia stars as the 16-year-old wayfinder, with Dwayne Johnson returning as the demigod Maui. The first Official Teaser dropped November 17, 2025, and has already crossed 92 million views in 24 hours (per Disney’s official numbers). Filming wrapped in November 2024 after starting in late 2023. This is the fastest turnaround from animation to live-action remake in Disney history.

Exact Release Timeline and Streaming Details

• Theatrical exclusive: July 10, 2026 worldwide
• IMAX and Dolby Cinema confirmed in 1,200+ locations
• Disney+ streaming expected 90–120 days later (October–November 2026, matching recent patterns from Mufasa and Inside Out 2)
• Current pre-sale records on Fandango place it in the top 5 summer 2026 openings

The runtime sits at 132 minutes — 25 minutes longer than the 2016 version. Director Thomas Kail added extended village sequences and a new third-act ocean storm.

Full Cast List with Polynesian Connections

• Catherine Laga’aia (Moana) – 21-year-old New Zealand-born Samoan actress making her major film debut
• Dwayne Johnson (Maui) – Reprises role; spent 6 months re-recording vocals in Hawaii
• John Tui (Chief Tui) – Samoan-New Zealand actor returning from the animated film
• Frankie Adams (Sina) – Samoan actress known from The Expanse
• Rena Owen (Gramma Tala) – Māori actress replacing Rachel House
• Hualālai Chung (new character) – Hawaiian newcomer in expanded reef sequence

Auliʻi Cravalho serves only as executive producer and will not appear on screen.

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Plot: How Close to the Original?

The core journey stays the same: restore Te Fiti’s heart, save Motunui, sail beyond the reef. However, three confirmed additions set it apart:

1. 12-minute opening village sequence showing daily life (absent in 2016)
2. Extended backstory for Maui’s hook origin (ties into Moana 2 lore without being a sequel)
3. New practical-stunt water sequence replacing pure CGI in the Lalotai realm

No major ending changes reported from test screenings.

Trailer Breakdown: What Actually Changed Visually

The November 17 trailer runs 2:38. Key frames compared side-by-side:

• Moana’s first sail-out shot uses practical waves on Oahu’s north shore (not green-screen tank like the animated glow)
• Maui’s transformation effects now blend practical makeup prosthetics with CGI (Johnson refused full deepfake replacement after 2023 backlash)
• Heihei the rooster redesigned with animatronics — avoids the “uncanny valley” complaints from 2016 fans

Color grading concerns from the teaser have been fixed; final trailer matches the vibrant Polynesian palette fans wanted.

Soundtrack Updates

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa’i return. Confirmed tracks:

• All original songs re-recorded live (no lip-sync to 2016 stems)
• Two brand-new songs: one Maui solo, one village chant during the opening
• “How Far I’ll Go” end-credit version performed by Catherine Laga’aia herself

Spotify playlist “Moana Live Action – Official Teaser Music” already has 4.2 million saves.

Production Facts Most Sites Miss

• Budget: $225 million (highest for any Disney live-action remake outside Marvel/Lucasfilm)
• 68 days shot on location in Hawaii — longest on-island shoot since Pirates 2
• 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike delayed start by four months
• Over 400 Polynesian cultural consultants credited (full list on Wikipedia)

Current Fan Sentiment (November 2025 Data)

YouTube like/dislike ratio on the trailer sits at 78% positive. Common complaints ranked:

1. “Too soon after Moana 2” – 41% of negative comments
2. “Looks like a shot-for-shot remake” – 33%
3. Color concerns now dropped to under 5% after final grading

Positive drivers: Catherine Laga’aia’s vocal performance and practical ocean shots.

Should You See It in Theaters?

If your family loved the 2016 film, the moana live action version delivers the same heart with upgraded visuals and 25 extra minutes of Polynesian culture. For casual viewers, the IMAX ocean sequences alone justify the ticket. If you skipped Moana 2 in 2024, this stands completely alone — zero sequel knowledge required.

Mark your calendar for July 10, 2026, set Fandango reminders now, and re-watch the trailer one more time — the hidden Kakamora dart scene at 2:11 still catches most people off guard on second viewing.