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- ‘Moana 2’ Was a Disney+ TV Series
- The ‘Moana’ Franchise Won’t End with the Sequel Film
As a longtime Disney enthusiast who has followed the studio’s every move since my childhood days of singing along to The Little Mermaid cassette tape, I must say that I am absolutely thrilled about the recent developments in the Moana franchise! Having grown up in the Polynesian islands myself, the first film resonated deeply with me and I was genuinely moved by its portrayal of Pacific Islander culture.
This Thanksgiving season, moviegoers are eagerly anticipating the return of a cherished film series. Eight years following its original release, the follow-up to the much-adored movie “Moana” is gearing up to hit screens, promising a significant impact at the box office. The first movie grossed nearly $700 million worldwide, striking a chord with both critics and viewers. Remarkably, despite its blockbuster status, the sequel, titled “Moana 2“, almost didn’t see the light of day on the big screen.
In a thrilling journey, we find ourselves following the brave Polynesian girl named Moana. She embarks on an exciting quest to rescue her island. The movie, titled Moana, portrays Moana bravely confronting the nefarious demigod who has swiped the island’s vital gem – the heart of the island. As the wrathful goddess Te Fiti stirs, Moana, accompanied by her feathered friend and the demigod Maui, hasten to restore tranquility on her island by returning the stolen jewel. The film grossed an impressive $687 million at the box office and garnered widespread acclaim from critics (95%) and audiences (89%). However, it came as a shock when Disney revealed that instead of a sequel movie, there would be a series on Disney+.
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‘Moana 2’ Was a Disney+ TV Series
In December 2020, four years after the release of “Moana,” Disney revealed that a spin-off of the movie was being developed exclusively for their streaming platform, Disney+. As a fresh competitor in the streaming market wars, Disney+ could benefit from Disney’s recent victories to enhance its popularity. Alongside three other upcoming series derived from Disney’s animated features – “Baymax!” (a continuation of “Big Hero Six”), “Zootopia+” (based on “Zootopia”), and “Tiana” (from “The Princess and the Frog”) – “Moana” was unveiled as part of an effort to expand Disney’s streaming content and captivate fans. However, while the other three shows made their way onto Disney+, the team at Disney found that there was still more to explore in the realm of “Moana,” and it remains undetermined when this series will be available.
During a conference call with investors in February 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that the Moana story would no longer be continued on their streaming platform but would instead become a full-length feature film. The long-awaited release of Moana 2 finally occurred in theaters on Nov. 27. This decision to switch from a series to a film was made due to the exceptional footage from the series, leaving studio executives eager to delve deeper and approve the production of a sequel movie instead.
According to a discussion with Variety, senior research analyst Eric Handler suggests that Disney might have decided to change its strategy because it no longer wishes to invest money in attempting to bring more subscribers to its streaming service. Instead, the focus seems to be on boosting the company’s overall profitability and revenue.
The ‘Moana’ Franchise Won’t End with the Sequel Film
Regardless of the cause for Iger’s shift in perspective, fans can look forward to an expansion in the future of the Moana series, as Disney has chosen to invest further in this franchise. Apart from a sequel film, Disney has also pledged to create a live-action adaptation of the 2016 original movie. This move aligns with Disney’s ongoing strategy of leveraging past triumphs by reimagining their successful ventures, such as The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and others, in live-action form. Given the financial success of these adaptations, a live-action Moana seems a logical step forward.
As mentioned in Disney’s movie description, Moana 2 is set three years following Moana’s initial journey. When Moana receives a message from her spirit guides, she embarks on another quest across the vast oceans of Oceania to lift a spell that divides the oceanic people. Similar to its predecessor, Moana 2 is a musical journey. The original film’s soundtrack peaked at number two on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, and one of its memorable tunes, “How Far I’ll Go,” was even nominated for an Academy Award.
I was thrilled when Lin-Manuel Miranda contributed to the music in the initial film, but his absence from the sequel left me a bit disheartened. Yet, I must say, the Grammy-winning duo of Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear more than made up for it with their work on an unofficial companion album for the Netflix series “Bridgerton”. Their collaboration is truly commendable!
As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to dive back into the magical realm of “Moana”! Auli’I Cravalho once again brings Moana to life, while Dwayne Johnson returns as the larger-than-life Maui. The core cast remains consistent, with Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger continuing their roles as Moana’s parents, the Island’s Chief and Chiefess. Alan Tudyk gives voice to Moana’s feathery companion, her pet rooster, and Rachel House lends her voice to Moana’s grandmother. Newcomers Rose Matafeo and David Fane are also joining the cast. Catch Moana 2 on the big screen now!
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2024-11-28 04:01