Nearly a decade after the original animated film starring Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson first hit theaters, Disney is moving ahead with its live-action remake, bringing the story back into the spotlight. Dwayne Johnson is returning as Maui, which has added to the buzz around the project, especially among longtime fans of the 2016 classic.
The role of Moana has been handed to newcomer Catherine Laga’aia, marking her first major film appearance. Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated version, is returning in a different capacity this time, taking on the role of executive producer and offering support behind the scenes.
The live-action movie once again follows the story of Moana, a young Polynesian girl who sets out on a major voyage to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The story remains centered on her bravery and the call she receives from the ocean, which pushes her toward a journey that changes her life.
Moana leaves her island home of Mountie for the very first time, travelling past the barrier reef that she had long been warned not to cross. Her decision marks the start of her adventure and the beginning of her transformation into a leader for her people.
With the demigod Maui by her side, she continues her quest to restore balance and save her community. Their partnership forms the heart of the journey, mirroring the themes that made the animated film so popular.
The teaser trailer runs just 60 seconds, but it still manages to showcase one of the film’s most recognisable songs, ‘How Far I’ll Go’, which fans quickly pointed out in their reactions.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who helped create the original soundtrack, is closely linked to the music featured in the new trailer. His influence is clear, and fans were quick to identify familiar musical elements as soon as the teaser dropped.
Even with the excitement surrounding the remake, many viewers expressed disappointment with how Moana has been reimagined in live action. People online have been sharing their reactions, and a common complaint has emerged across multiple platforms.
One person said: “I hate Disney so much.”
Another added: “This is why we can’t have nice things.”
A major issue raised by fans is the appearance of Moana’s hair in the live-action version, which they believe looks noticeably different compared to the animated original.
In the animated film, Moana’s hair is thick, curly, and heavily shaped by the wind and ocean, reflecting her environment and heritage. In the new live-action trailer, however, her hair appears much straighter and flatter, which many viewers immediately pointed out.
Fans have argued that the change feels like whitewashing, especially because Catherine Laga’aia’s natural hair outside the role looks much closer to the animated style. The difference has sparked a wave of criticism as people question why such a defining feature of the character was altered.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, one user said: “Making her have straight hair even though the OG hair of the actor is just like Moana’s is incredibly f***ing racist.”
Another person shared their frustration as well, adding: “This looks awful and they whitewashed Moana.”
A third viewer wrote: “So not only Disney got an actress who has lighter skin than animated Moana, they also straightened her hair because I guess they didn’t think they whitewashed her character enough.”
Beyond criticism of casting choices, fans also recalled that Disney invested heavily in technology back in 2016 to create realistic curly hair for the animated version of Moana. The original film was widely praised for the accuracy and detail shown in its hair animation, which made the change in the live-action trailer stand out even more to longtime fans.
Even with the ongoing debate, the Moana franchise remains extremely popular with audiences around the world. The sequel, which premiered in November 2024, earned more than USD $1 billion globally, showing that fans still have a strong connection to the story and its characters.
The live-action Moana is set to arrive in theatres on July 10, 2026, and the conversation surrounding it will likely continue as more footage is released.
