Disney Unveils Stunning New Look at Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Lagaʻaia in Live-Action Moana Trailer
Disney’s Live-Action Moana Is Now in Theaters — Here’s Everything to Know About Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia’s Take on the Story
Disney’s live-action reimagining of Moana isn’t a coming-soon project anymore — it hit theaters worldwide on July 10, 2026, bringing Dwayne Johnson back as Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga’aia in the title role. For fans who’ve been following the trailers since last year, here’s what the finished film actually delivers, and who’s behind it.
The Cast: A Mix of Returning Star Power and a Breakout Newcomer
Johnson reprises Maui, the role he originated in the 2016 animated original, this time performing the demigod in a physical costume and prosthetics rather than voice work alone. Stepping into the title role once voiced by Auli’i Cravalho is 17-year-old Catherine Laga’aia, a newcomer whose casting became one of the most talked-about decisions in the project. Laga’aia has spoken about the personal significance of the part, noting her own family roots in Samoa and describing it as an opportunity to represent Pacific Island communities on screen.
The supporting cast rounds out Moana’s world: John Tui plays her father, Chief Tui; Frankie Adams plays her mother, Sina; and Rena Owen plays Gramma Tala. Notably, Cravalho didn’t disappear from the project entirely — she stayed on as an executive producer, alongside director Thomas Kail.
Who Made It: Same Writers, New Director
Thomas Kail, known for directing the filmed versions of Hamilton and Grease Live!, as well as the limited series Fosse/Verdon, directs the live-action adaptation. The screenplay comes from Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller — Bush co-wrote the original 2016 animated film, which gives the remake some direct creative continuity rather than starting from scratch with an entirely new writing team.
Music also carries over meaningfully: composer Mark Mancina returned to score the film, and Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Fo’ai are credited on the songs, matching the team behind the original soundtrack. That matters for a musical property like Moana, where songs like “How Far I’ll Go” are as central to the film’s identity as any character.
What the Story Covers
The plot follows the same core arc as the animated original: Moana, a wayfinder from the island of Motunui, answers the ocean’s call and sails beyond her home reef for the first time to save her people, teaming up with the once-mighty demigod Maui along the way. Disney has stuck close to the source material’s structure rather than reinventing the story, betting instead that live-action performances, practical and digital effects, and Polynesian cultural detail would be enough to justify a new version of a film that’s barely a decade old.
That last point is worth noting on its own: this is one of the fastest turnarounds Disney has done between an animated film’s original release and its live-action remake. The 2016 Moana wasn’t even ten years old by the time this version reached theaters.
Part of a Bigger Disney Strategy
Moana joins a long run of Disney live-action remakes that includes The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid — a strategy the studio has leaned on repeatedly for its box-office reliability, even as results have varied. Disney’s live-action Snow White underperformed and led the studio to pause its planned Tangled remake earlier in development, while Lilo & Stitch’s live-action version was a genuine summer hit. Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King also performed strongly in its release window. Moana now becomes the latest test of whether audiences will keep showing up for these reimaginings, and early industry chatter has treated it as one of the stronger bets in the current slate, partly because of Johnson’s built-in fan base and partly because of how much cultural care Disney invested in the production.
How the Trailers Built Anticipation
Ahead of release, Disney rolled out marketing gradually — a teaser trailer followed by a full trailer that gave audiences their first extended look at Laga’aia performing “How Far I’ll Go,” along with expanded footage of Motunui, the Kakamora, and Johnson’s version of Maui. That marketing rollout generated real, measurable social media attention in the months leading up to release, particularly around Laga’aia’s introduction as the new lead and Johnson’s physical transformation into the character.
Where Things Stand Now
With the film already in theaters, the conversation has shifted from trailer reactions to actual reviews, box office performance, and audience reception — a natural next stage for anyone still searching for Moana live-action news. If you’re deciding whether to see it, the short version is this: same story beats as the animated original, a returning Johnson, a newcomer in Laga’aia who’s already drawn attention for her performance, and a production team with direct ties to the original film’s creative core. For a franchise this beloved, that combination of familiarity and fresh casting is exactly the bet Disney is making.
