The live-action ‘Moana’ is set to hit theaters in July 2026, while the animated ‘Moana 2’ is in theaters Nov. 27
Dwayne Johnson is bringing Maui to the real world.
The actor, 52, appeared in costume on the set of the live-action reimagining of Disney’s Moana for the first time in Hawaii on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Johnson wore a grass skirt, long black wig and the tattoos of his demigod character Maui as he filmed scenes along a beach, with a boat used for filming seen in photos from the set.
Disney and Johnson first announced that 2016’s Moana would receive a live-action adaptation during the company’s April 2023 shareholder meeting.
The new movie has Auli’i Cravalho, who voices the title character in the animated movies, as an executive producer. Newcomer Catherine Laga’aia was cast to star in the live-action version alongside Johnson.
“I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites,” Laga’aia said in a statement at the time of her casting in June. “My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa.”
“I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me,” she added.
In July, Johnson shared in an Instagram post that production on the live-action Moana was slated to begin in August and shared news regarding the rest of the movie’s cast.
John Tui, who held a role in Johnson’s NBC series Young Rock, will play Moana’s father Chief Tui. Frankie Adams will play Moana’s mom Sina, while Rena Owen will play her grandmother, Gramma Tala.
