Phoenix 24
The remake arrives only ten years after the animated original.
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES — July 2026. Disney’s live-action adaptation of Moana has opened in theaters with Catherine Lagaʻaia making her feature-film debut as the Polynesian heroine. Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, reprising the character he voiced in the acclaimed 2016 animated production. The new film is directed by Thomas Kail.
Euronews Culture delivered a sharply negative assessment, describing the adaptation as an excessively faithful recreation that contributes little to the original story. The review argues that the new version lacks the animation’s energy, humor and visual personality. Lagaʻaia’s performance is spared from criticism, with the publication directing its objections primarily toward Disney’s remake strategy.
The film arrives only a decade after the original became one of Disney’s most enduring modern successes. That limited distance has intensified questions about whether a live-action reinterpretation was creatively necessary or designed principally to capitalize on an established franchise. The songs, characters and central maritime journey remain largely unchanged.
Disney maintains that the production reimagines the story through authentic Pacific Island talent, locations and cultural collaboration. The studio also presents the film as an opportunity to introduce Moana’s journey to a new generation. However, critics argue that audiences already have access to a widely watched original and its commercially successful animated sequel.
The debate extends beyond one movie to Disney’s continuing dependence on live-action versions of animated properties. Moana 2 earned more than $1 billion worldwide, demonstrating the franchise’s continuing financial power. The remake will now test whether familiarity alone remains sufficient to draw audiences back to theaters.
The ocean may be calling again, but critics question whether this voyage needed repeating.