The wait is finally over for Disney's highly anticipated live-action remake of Moana, hitting cinemas this weekend. However, it's hard to muster up excitement for a film that's practically identical to its 2016 animated counterpart.
The 2026 live-action Moana clocks in at just eight minutes longer than its predecessor, with the majority of the runtime feeling like a mere rehashing of the original. While competent filmmaking and visually stunning sequences are on display, the film's lack of innovation and creativity makes it feel like a pointless exercise.
The live-action remake trend, which began with the success of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland in 2010, has seen a flurry of Disney classics reimagined for the big screen. However, Moana's live-action redo feels especially uninspired, given its release just 10 years after the original.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has been bumped up to producer, and original Moana actress Auliʻi Cravalho is now an executive producer. Miranda has also penned a new song, Along the Way, featuring Cravalho's vocals alongside new Moana, Catherine Lagaʻaia, and Dwayne Johnson, who reprises his role as demigod Maui. However, the addition of new talent and music feels like a desperate attempt to breathe life into a stale remake.
The film's massive budget of $250m (£186.7m) has raised concerns that it may not perform well at the box office. Tracking of its opening weekend suggests that Moana may be at risk of tanking, and it's no coincidence that Moana 3 is already in the works.
At a time when risks in Hollywood are most needed and celebrated, Moana's live-action remake feels like an uninspired cash-grab. The film's lack of creative vision and innovation makes it feel like a relic of a bygone era, rather than a bold new take on a beloved classic.
Moana releases in cinemas on Friday, July 10, but it's hard to muster up enthusiasm for a film that's so closely tied to its predecessor. Perhaps the question isn't why Disney keeps making these live-action remakes, but why audiences keep turning out for them.
