LEAKED: Live-Action Moana and Maui

Movies

So, today, we got our first look at the live-action Moana remake, and it was far from official. Rather than Disney introducing the world to a flesh-and-blood Moana and Maui in a poster or teaser trailer, Reel News Hawaii has posted photos of Dwayne Johnson and his young co-star, Catherine Laga’aia, on Twitter. In the Tweet below, we see Maui (Johnson) aboard the canoe, showing Moana (Laga’aia) his hook, and the two meeting on the beach. Check it out here:

Welp, you film out in public on one of the most popular beaches on the West Side and you’re bound to have people take pics and get a leak or two, especially if you’re Maui and Moana. pic.twitter.com/u8pkCqmfeb

— Reel News Hawaii (@reelnewshawaii) November 20, 2024

You can see similar shots on the web courtesy of The Daily Mail and probably other sources, too. It would appear that little was done to keep this filming private and secret, although I have to appreciate them for filming on location. This story would simply look silly on a sound stage or, God forbid, the Volume. That being said, it already looks silly, anyway. Catherine Laga’aia’s costume looks alright; it’s just a toned-down version of Moana’s main two-piece from the animated movie. I don’t know what else we would expect from another unwanted live-action remake. However, The Rock looks goofy here. I’m inclined to praise the use of a suit over CGI-ing Maui’s tattoos onto him, but it doesn’t look good. The color of the suit doesn’t blend into Johnson’s skin tone, and I imagine they will still have to alter the tats digitally anyway to make them move. In the OG Moana, Maui’s tattoos are a huge part of his character and almost a character in their own right, interacting with the leads and often siding with Moana. To be honest, a lot of this boils down to the fact that Moana isn’t a good fit for live-action.

Beyond that, the original Moana is so good I can’t imagine Disney sincerely hopes to improve on or add to it. Moana was the last great Disney movie, a high they’ve desperately been chasing with garbage like Raya and the Last Dragon and Wish. I think this movie exists for two reasons: The Rock wanted it, and Disney wants to cash in on any remaining, dwindling goodwill they can. Moana hasn’t been tainted in the eyes of fans… yet… so they think this is their chance. Depending on their quality and reception, Moana 2 and this live-action Moana could end up doing Disney more harm than good. I honestly find it odd to do both a sequel and a remake so close together, with Moana 2 hitting theaters next week and the remake in 2026. I don’t exactly think this will confuse audiences, but it is strange and feels like they’re betting the farm on the Moana characters and story. Does Disney think Moana is all they have? Are they just incapable of making another great movie? It was cool that Moana and Encanto were original stories with amazing soundtracks. I honestly think people would like something like that again rather than retreading the old ground. I like The Rock just fine, and Maui is my favorite of his roles. But this movie only exists to stroke his ego and keep him in the headlines. I know these are rough, unedited, unofficial images taken by layman observers, but they look bad. If they’re any indication of the movie’s quality, I don’t think this will be the win Johnson is hoping for. 

But what do you make of any of these images? Am I crazy, or is this movie just a bad idea all around? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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