Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui in new live-action “Moana” teaser

In recent news from Disney, they have unveiled the first teaser for the live-action “Moana,” with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui and starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as the title Disney princess, Moana.

As “Moana” has been one of the greatest hits over the last decades of the streaming era, the chances of success assumed are similar.

In addition to the cast, others involved are Auckland, New Zealand, native John Tui as Moana’s father, Samoan-New Zealander Frankie Adams as Moana’s mother, and Rena Owen, from Bay of Islands, New Zealand, as Moana’s revered Gramma Tala.

The film is being directed by “Hamilton” director Thomas Kail and produced by Dwayne Johnson, along with Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Lin-Manuel Miranda; and executive produced by Kail, Scott Sheldon, Charles Newirth and Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated features “Moana” and “Moana 2.”

“Moana” was based on a girl from her island home of Motunui who answers the ocean’s call and sets off on a voyage beyond the reef of her island, where no one has ventured in generations, to track down the infamous demigod Maui and restore her island and people to health and their former glory. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the music for the film, and he scored an Oscar nomination for the original track “How Far I’ll Go,” which is featured in the teaser for this film, but it also includes several other bops, such as Maui’s song “You’re Welcome.”

Earlier,  the original “Moana” was released in 2016 and made $643 million worldwide at the box office, becoming one of Disney’s biggest original animated hits of this century, this side of “Frozen” and “Encanto.” Though an animated series was originally intended for Disney+ as a streaming exclusive, the series was eventually converted into a new theatrical film, which opened last year and made over $1 billion globally at the box office.

“Moana” opens in US theatres on July 10, 2026. Watch the first teaser trailer above.