Fans of the Moana franchise have more adventures to look forward to. During a recent press event in Rio de Janeiro, Dwayne Johnson confirmed that Moana 3 is currently in development at Disney.
While the studio has not issued an official announcement regarding the project, Johnson revealed that he has held discussions about the film. He noted that writers Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, who worked on the previous installments, are set to pen the script for the third entry. Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho are expected to return to voice their respective roles as Maui and Moana.
Focusing on the Live-Action Remake
Johnson emphasized that the immediate priority for the studio is the upcoming live-action adaptation of the original film. That project, which features Catherine Laga’aia as the titular heroine, is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 10. The live-action cast also includes John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen, and Jemaine Clement.
The Success of the Franchise
The expansion of the series follows the massive commercial success of the animated films. The original 2016 movie earned $680 million globally, while the 2024 sequel, Moana 2, surpassed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. Given these figures, continuing the animated franchise appears to be a strategic move for the studio as they balance both animated and live-action iterations of the property.
With the creative team behind the previous successes returning to the fold, the development of a third animated chapter suggests Disney is looking to maintain the momentum established by the recent sequel. Whether the live-action remake will spawn its own series of sequels remains to be seen, but for now, the animated world of Motunui continues to grow.
Source: JoBlo
