ACTOR Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson took to social media on Tuesday to share his excitement at announcing the release date for Disney’s live-action remake of Moana.
The live-action version of the movie is scheduled to hit theatres on 27 June 2025, which will be nine years after the release of the animated version.
Johnson, 51, wrote on Instagram, quoting a notable line from Moana: “Sometimes our strengths lie beneath the surface. Far beneath in some cases.”
“It’s my privilege to share our legends, songs, and dances of our Polynesian culture with all of you and your families,“ the Black Adam star continued. “Love and mana.”
Johnson included a photo of a Hawaiian island, with the Moana audi track Tulou Tagaloa sung by Olivia Foa’i.
In April 2023, during Disney’s shareholder meeting, Dwayne Johnson announced the forthcoming live-action remake of Moana.
“This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace, mana, and warrior strength,“ Johnson wrote on Instagram.
“I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me.”
To announce the project, the wrestler-turned-actor also filmed a video with his daughters Tiana, 5, and Jasmine, 7, on a Hawaiian beach. “We are so excited and happy to announce that a live-action reimagining of Moana is in the works,“ Johnson said.
He promised the return of Moana as well as other key elements from the 2016 film, such as “Gramma Tala, the music, the dance, Te Fiti, Pua the pig, the village,“ and “the beautiful, powerful ocean.” Heihei, the beloved chicken, and Maui, Johnson’s demigod character, are also returning.
Although Dwayne Johnson will portray the live-action version of Maui in the upcoming Moana film, Auli’i Cravalho, who provided the voice of Moana in the original animated film, will not reprise her role.
However, as an executive producer for the 2025 film, she will be involved in the casting process.
