On Feb. 8, Disney released its first teaser for “Moana 2” – and I couldn’t be more excited. This came as a surprise to all as no one knew it was even in the works – and when I saw it, I flipped. Last I heard, there was going to be a live-action version with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui – and for the longest time, that was it. And while that’s still a (very slight) possibility, I’m putting my focus on this very real, much-anticipated sequel set to come out in November 2024.
The 16-second trailer doesn’t reveal much, but it is enough to confirm that Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson are returning as the iconic duo. Am I upset that I didn’t see it as a Super Bowl commercial? Yes. Yet, I digress. The trailer has reached almost 1 million views, not to mention it’s been all over social media. The first
It’s also been revealed that Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are writing the soundtrack for the movie. Who are they, you ask? You may remember them from their viral “What if Bridgerton was a musical?” TikTok series in 2021 that won best musical theater album at the 2022 Grammys – and the fact that they are writing the soundtrack of “Moana 2” is making me giddy with excitement
I know the movie isn’t supposed to come out for another nine months, but it’s going to be hard to wait that long. After just seeing the new “Mean Girls” movie musical, I’m on an Auli’i Cravalho kick. We’ve known she’s a powerhouse in vocals, but “Mean Girls” proved she is just as relevant on the screen as well. Her role as Janice served, and the song “I’d Rather Be Me” proved that Cravalho’s vocals are STILL no joking matter, whatever the genre is. Auli’i Cravalho’s return as Moana is exciting, not just for nostalgia’s sake but because both Cravalho and Moana’s characters stand for more than just playing a princess.
In 2020, Cravalho came out as bisexual. Her support for the LGBTQ+ community is not only super cool but has also been boosted by her role as Janice in the “Mean Girls” musical. Both Cravalho and Moana stand for more than what’s seen on the surface level, and it’s so impactful that she is continuing her role as the Disney princess who brought change to the princess world.
“Moana” was revolutionary in more than one way. The plot? Yes. The soundtrack? Don’t even get me started. Not only is it an automatic comfort movie, but Moana is arguably the best representation of a Disney princess to date, and here’s why:
“Moana” challenges previous Disney princess movies in the way that there is no prince charming trope, she remains a strong, independent woman throughout the entire movie, she represents untraditional body image in Disney movies, and what’s more, she’s not white.
In a typical Disney movie, the princess relies on her Prince Charming to come in and save the day – fun to watch, yet a very old-timey and overdone trope if you ask me. Although there are strong, independent princesses out there, Moana is different in the way that although there’s a male lead, Moana does not rely on Maui to “rescue” her or be her Prince Charming. From the beginning, she is determined and relies on herself to return the heart of Te Fiti, and not even Maui can make her lose focus.
Young girls watching Moana are not only seeing that you don’t need a man to be successful (so true), but they’re also seeing a princess that does not have the traditional, impossibly skinny body type that has been in every other Disney princess movie. It may seem like a small feat, but it has been so impactful for young girls watching to see a powerhouse of a princess be successful not only with no prince but with a more accurate representation of what a body truly looks like.
All of these factors make “Moana” significant as a movie, but it’s also significant as an accurate cultural representation of the Polynesian culture. According to an article published by the Ohio State University, “Moana” is “a stepping stone for Disney films to begin providing representation that empowers others, with accurate information which allows the children and young adults who watch the movies to see that they are strong and worthy of success.” In movies like “Aladdin” and “Pocahontas,” there is an effort to represent other cultures, but it’s done in a poor and in some cases, blatantly racist way. Moana is the first Polynesian princess, and Disney did their part in making sure the cultural aspects were accurate throughout the film. For instance, the song “We Know the Way” is in the Tokelauan language, which is spoken by only about 3,000 people. Roughly translated, it’s about Moana’s ancestors and their adventurous spirits.
In conclusion, yes. I’m beyond excited for “Moana 2” to come out. Disney has a chance to continue accurately representing this culture, as well as continue to show young girls all that they can do. Now, does the plot of the sequel sound very similar to the original movie? I’ll let you be the judge of that. Even if the sequel has a lot of parallels to the original movie, one parallel I hope they have is Dwayne Johnson giving us another epic rap song.