Yesterday, Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson joined stars, filmmakers and special guests at the Lanikūhonua Cultural Institute in Kapolei, Hawaii for Moana 2's world premiere.
The event kicked off with a special performance led by Tiana Nonosina Liufau, Kayla Faʻamaligi, and Polynesian creatives honouring the Pacific peoples, cultures, and traditions that gave voice to the heart of the Moana story. A few critics were also in attendance, meaning we now have some early reactions.
Of course, the fact that at least some of the reporters listed below were flown out to Hawaii by Disney for this splashy event means that, as with most social reactions, you should probably take them with a pinch of salt.
It's also worth pointing out that Disney appears less confident in the sequel because the review embargo doesn't lift until the day before Moana 2 arrives in theaters. That's extremely late for one of the studio's high-profile movies.
Still, taking what's here at face value, it does sound like Moana is a solid follow-up to its 2016 predecessor. The songs perhaps aren't as good, but considering the fact this movie started life as a TV show before Disney CEO Bob Iger decided it should be released in theaters, early word being this good is impressive. Fingers crossed the movie delivers over Thanksgiving weekend.
Check out the first wave of Moana 2 reactions below (via Toonado.com).
Walt Disney Animation Studios' epic animated musical Moana 2 reunites Moana (voice of Auli'i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
The voice cast also includes Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Hualālai Chung, David Fane, Rose Matafeo, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey, and Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, who lends her voice to Moana's adoring and adorable little sister, Simea.
Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina. Jared Bush and Miller are writing the film, which is executive produced by Jennifer Lee, Bush and Johnson.
Moana 2 opens in theaters on November 27, 2024.