Moana Live-Action Remake: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know (2024)

A live-action version of Disney’s Moana has been announced and there are many exciting details about the remake of the hit musical fantasy movie. The most recent wave of live-action remakes of Disney animated movies began in 2010 with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, but Disney has dabbled in this type of movie-making even before that. The memorable live-action remake of One Hundred and One Dalmatians with Glenn Close in 1996 was a very early example of this.

2016's Moana has the unique distinction of being the studio's most recent animated movie to be remade as live-action, while most of Disney's remakes have been of "classic" movies released in the 20th century. Moana follows the titular princess as she sets off on an oceanic voyage to save her island. Along the way, she meets Maui, a trickster demi-god, and many other mythical figures as she attempts to restore the heart of Te Fiti. Though it was only announced in April 2023, there's already lots of news surrounding Moana's live-action remake.

The Latest Moana Live-Action Remake News

The Live-Action Remake Casts Its Lead

Months after it was revealed that original star Auli'i Cravalho would not reprise her role, the latest news confirms that the Moana live-action remake has cast its lead. Picking a relative newcomer to fill the vacancy, Moana will now be played by Catherine Laga‘aia. The young star expressed her excitement to assume a role that will "represent young girls who look like me." Also joining the cast is John Tui who will play Moana's father, Frankie Adams as Moana's mother, and Rena Owen as Moana's grandmother.

Read Laga'aia's full statement below:

I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites. My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.

The Moana Live-Action Remake Release Date

The Remake Arrives In 2026

Unfortunately for fans eagerly awaiting the live-action remake, Moana has now been pushed down Disney's calendar more than a year later than its originally scheduled slot. While it was first expected in June 2025, Disney has now rescheduled the live-action Moana remake to July 10th, 2026.

Moana Live-Action Remake Cast

Dwayne Johnson Will Reprise His Role As Maui

Since it’s a remake, the live-action Moana should retain most of the same characters. Dwayen Johnson was the first actor attached to the project, and he'll be back to reprise his role as the lovable demi-god, Maui. Auli'i Cravalho will not return as Moana but is going to be producing the movie alongside Johnson. Replacing Cravalho is newcomer Catherine Laga'aia, and she's joined by John Tui as Moana's dad, Chief Tui, and Frankie Adams as Sina, Moana's mom. Finally, Rena Owen has been cast as Moana's Gramma Tala.

The producers of the live-action remake of Moana should have an easier time with two significant characters. Heihei the rooster (Alan Tudyk) and Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement) will both need to be CGI creations if they are in the movie at all. Tudyk and Clement would be welcome additions to the cast. Tamatoa’s song “Shiny” needs Clement’s singing ability, and while Heihei may only make bird noises, Tudyk’s voice-acting skills sell the rooster as a multi-dimensional character. There's every chance the pair will return for the live-action Moana cast.

The confirmed cast of the Moana live-action remake includes:

Actor	Moana Role
Dwayne Johnson	Maui
Catherine Laga'aia	Moana
John Tui	Chief Tui
Frankie Adams	Sina
Rena Owen	Gramma Tala

Moana Live-Action Remake Story Details

A Straightforward Remake Is Expected

The Moana live-action remake will likely follow the same story beats as the animated movie. Original writer Jared Bush returned to pen the script and worked with Dana Ledoux Miller to adapt it. In Moana, the headstrong titular character ventures out from her home island to find a solution to the blight that has tarnished the land. Along the way she meets the demi-god Maui and learns important lessons about herself.

With many fantastical elements, Moana’s story takes place primarily on the water, which may prove a challenge for a live-action remake. Fortunately, Disney is no stranger to large special effects-heavy movies, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever proved they have artists capable of producing water effects combined with fantasy imagery that live-action actors can credibly interact with. The whole story could easily be translated into a live-action remake and there should not be many cuts.

Where Does Moana Fit With Disney's Slate Of Live-Action Remakes?

Disney Has Big Plans For Live-Action Remakes

Despite producing a slew of live-action remakes already, Disney already has plenty more planned, some of which are further ahead in production than Moana.Peter Pan & Wendy debuted on Disney+ on April 28, 2023, and The Little Mermaid premiered May 26, 2023. Further along in the schedule, there will be the Snow White remake, and a prequel to The Lion King (2019) titled Mufasa: The Lion King.

The upcoming Disney live-action remakes include:

Moana is the most recently made animated movie to have a live-action remake. In fact, there have only been five Walt Disney Animation films produced between Moana's premiere in 2016 and the live-action remake announcement in 2023. It is an unusually quick turnaround for the studio, which tends to wait longer to make live-action adaptations. However, Frozen (2013) was remade as a Disney on Ice production (2014) soon after its premiere, followed by a Broadway play adaptation (2018), so a live-action remake of Moana is not completely unprecedented in that regard.