"Make way, make way! Disney just dropped the mic in 2024 by announcing that Moana 2 is making its debut just in time for Thanksgiving later this year. This “shiny” new trailer showed up out of nowhere and just in time to defrost our winter hearts. You’re welcome!
There’s just no telling “how far it’ll go” but here’s what we are predicting (slash hoping!) might happen in the new Moana movie. Our resident little kid moms (who loved the original!) are weighing in on their predictions for the Moana sequel. Here, we’re sharing everything we know about the movie so far and what we’re hoping to see when Moana 2 arrives in theaters on November 27, 2024!
Which characters are returning for ‘Moana 2’?
Of course, Moana herself could not be absent from her very own sequel, with Auli’i Cravalho likely returning for Moana 2—although Cravalho will not be playing Moana in the highly-anticipated live-action Moana film coming in 2025. We also got a glimpse of Maui, Pua, and Heihei on the boat in the movie still posted to Disney’s Instagram feed, but what about the other Moana characters we know and love? And who are the three new voyagers on the boat?
Robi, Editor-in-Chief: There is no Moana without Heihei. He will be back. I also really hope to see Grandma Tala again.
Kathy, Senior Editor: Agreed, Grandma Tala must return, and perhaps Moana runs into the bejeweled Tamatoa again on their journey. I’d love to see more character development with Moana’s mom Sina, too, but it doesn’t look like she’s on the boat.
Who is the whale shark spirit?
Robi: It does not bring me any joy to predict that the whale shark’s spirit might be Moana’s dad, Chief Tui.
Kathy: This is also the consensus among my kids, as it would mean Moana is the new village chief, which brings more responsibility—and story potential to the movie. It would also follow the Disney dead parent trope, but there’s something about their spirits living on in animal form that makes the loss a little more bearable.
Who is joining Moana on her voyage?
While we don’t know their names, it looks like a few fellow Motunui villagers and voyagers were joining Moana and Maui on the boat, in addition to Maui, Pua, and Heihei. According to Disney’s statement about the upcoming movie, it will be “a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.” Maybe the crew will even rendezvous with a Kakamora-turned-good guy in the sequel?
Who is doing the music for ‘Moana 2’?
The original Moana soundtrack was 🔥, and we know Lin-Manuel Miranda will not be part of the music team for the sequel. Instead, Disney announced music for Moana 2 will be by “Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.” It’s a lot to live up to, but this talent pool looks promising.
Where are they voyaging in ‘Moana 2’?
According to the Disney announcement, “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.” Here are our theories.
Kathy: Our family loved Moana so much, we went deep into watching the movie extras on Disney+. We learned the film was based on the real history of the Polynesians thousands of years ago, during what was called “The Long Pause,” a 1000-year period when the traditionally seafaring people stopped voyaging. Since the sequel is set during this same time period, another threat to their way of life must emerge.
Will Te Kā or Te Fiti be back in ‘Moana 2’?
Realizing Te Kā is not the villain we thought is one of the most surprising and moving moments in any Disney animated film, with Moana’s empathy and love saving the day. So, will Te Kā or Te Fiti return in Moana 2? We don’t know yet, but we expect Disney will surprise us again in the Moana movie sequel.
