Disney’s Moana: What We Know So Far
For a while now, Disney has teased us with very little info on its upcoming animation ‘Moana’. However, this month’s D23 Expo gave fans a bit more to go on, so we can consider our appetites suitably whet.
Who’s behind it?
This Walt Disney Animation movie is a musical and hopes to follow in the successful footsteps of ‘Frozen’.
It’s written and directed by Ron Clement and John Musker - the duo behind ‘The Princess and the Frog’, ‘Hercules’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘The Little Mermaid’.
Taika Waititi (writer of ’What We Do In The Shadows’, ‘Flight of the Conchords’) is also on screenplay duties, so there’s an array of talent that’re both penning and helming the project.
Who’s in it?
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson announced that he’d signed up to star back in April. He’ll play Maui, a Demigod that helps Moana on her quest (possibly in a similar way Genie aided our fearless street rat in ‘Aladdin’). As a human raised by Gods, Maui’s got a few issues to work through and, in traditional Disney style, will be on hand to lend his services to the film’s namesake, and visa versa.
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Alan Tudyk (’The Good Dinosaur’, ‘Zootropolis’) will also lend his voice to the movie, but his role is unspecified. Currently there’s no further word on who else will feature.
What’s it about?
The story takes place 2000 years ago. Around a thousand years prior to that, voyages across seas all but stopped, and that event is said to be a key element in the film’s plot.
Moana, the daughter of chief Tui, is inquisitive and adventurous. Naturally, she develops an urge to traverse the seas - largely thanks to the wild tales she’s heard from her grandmother - but her father forbids it.
Moana sets out to find a mysterious island she’s heard about in stories, whereby she not only meets Maui, but comes across sea monsters, amongst other things.
Why’s it going to be great?
Not only does it feature man of the moment Dwayne Johnson, but he’ll actually sing during this animated musical, which, frankly, sounds awesome.
‘Moana’s’ significant because it’s about Disney’s first Polynesian princess, following on from ‘The Princess and the Frog’ having introduced the first black princess to the fray, addresses the need for diversity.
Moana will have some cool sidekicks, too: firstly Pua, her pet pig who’ll serve as a loveable character akin to ‘Frozen’s’ Olaf or ‘Aladdin’s’ Abu. A rooster called Hei Hei also forms part of the gang, no doubt as additional comic relief.
When’s it out?
‘Moana’ will be released in UK cinemas on 2 December, 2016. It’ll hit US cinemas just over a week earlier on 23 November.
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Picture credits: Disney
