Deadline exclusively reports that Auli’i Cravalho, the voice of the titular character in Disney’s animated film Moana, is reprising her role in the surprise sequel Moana 2. Dwayne Johnson was already confirmed to return to play Maui, but it was unclear whether or not Cravalho would be back, as she will not be in the live-action remake that Johnson is making, although she will produce the remake. Bob Iger recently announced Moana 2 alongside a slew of other Disney and Pixar sequels in a company earnings call earlier this month.
This is amazing news. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was going to be majorly disappointed if Auli’i Cravalho didn’t come back for Moana 2. It’s not Moana without her; she’s even more important than The Rock! I still feel trepidation about Moana 2 since Moana doesn’t need a sequel, and Lin-Manuel Miranda isn’t returning to write new songs for the film. But this is a good step towards making sure the sequel lives up to its predecessor.
What a song. Disney at it’s best. I never saw a lot of these Disney movies, but remember Claire Crosby singing this one with her dad and I was moved. That really shows the power of what Disney should be, when a dad and his daughter willingly sing the song. The song is very good and wholesome. That impresses me when someone can pull off clean, quality entertainment.