Dwayne Johnson announces ‘Moana’ live-action film is in the works
The hit Disney film Moana will finally have its live-action version!
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on Tuesday, April 4 that Moana's live-action film is currently in the works.
“Aloha everyone from the beautiful Hawaii,” he began his announcement via a two-minute clip shared by Disney.
Joined by his two daughters in the video, The Rock shared his personal attachment to the film, recalling what it was like to grow up in Hawaii.
“We are here on the island of O’ahu where I did a lot of my growing up. As you know, Hawaii means so much to my family and me, and the traditions of our ‘ohana or ‘aiga,’ as we say in Samoa were shaped by these incredible islands,” he continued.
“The pacific island and their culture inspired a very special story. One that you all know very well, and that story is Moana.”
JUST ANNOUNCED: From Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho, a live-action reimagining of Disney’s Moana is in the works! pic.twitter.com/mcHlqPNHx8
— Disney (@Disney) April 3, 2023
He went on to share the thrilling news: “We are so excited and happy to announce that a live-action reimagining of Moana is in the works.”
“Moana, Gramma Tala, the music, the dance, Te Fiti, Pua the pig, the village, [and] the beautiful, powerful ocean.”
“And Oh, yours truly. Heihei the chicken,” he quipped, adding: “Heihei is gonna be in it But of course, Maui will be in it too.”
To make the live-action announcement even more special, the actor shared how they took inspiration from his late grandfather in bringing Maui to life.
“As many of you may not know, the brilliant team at Disney Animation, my partners, we found so much inspiration for Maui in the mana and the presence of my late grandfather, the legendary High Chief Peter Maivia. He would walk in, light up the room, the energy, the tattoos, the hair, the bod,” he shared, “just how deep this story is for me, because in a way when I bring Maui to life, I’m doing it in the spirit of my grandfather.”
The 50-year-old star shared that the making of the Moana live-action film is in “the very early” stage. More details, including its release date and cast, are yet to be revealed.
Moana is a 2016 Disney film that tells the adventure of a young female who is on a mission to save her people while dealing with her baggage from the past. In the middle of her exploration, she meets a mighty demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), with whom she faces challenges along the way.