As a fan-based trailer of Moana, an animated film in a live-action format goes viral; everyone wishes that the film should actually be made starring Zendaya and Dwayne Johnson. Here now, let’s explore more about the artists and the movie and will the movie will actually be made.
Moana, called Vaiana or Oceania in some markets, is an American animated musical fantasy action-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released in 2016 and is the 56th Disney animated feature film. It was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker and co-directed by Chris Williams and Don Hall.
The movie’s producer is Osnat Shurer, Jared Bush writes the screenplay, and the story is by Clements, Williams, Hall, Musker, Pamela Ribon, and the writers: Aaron and Jordan Kandell.
Zendaya and Dwayne Johnson: The Dream Cast for “Moana”?
Dwayne Douglas Johnson is an actor, retired professional wrestler, media personality and film producer. As major of his fame came as a wrestler in WWE, he is also quite famous for his ring name, which is ‘The Rock’.
Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born on 2nd May 1972 in Hayward, California, America. Dwayne was born to Ata Johnson and Rocky Johnson, who was a professional wrestler. Dwayne grew up in Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, where his mother’s side family lived. During his childhood, Dwayne played rugby and studied at Richmond Road Primary School.
After moving to America, Dwayne studied at Pennsylvania high school and later did his college at the University of Miami. In his college, he was a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team and played as a defender for the team.
After being graduated from college, Dwayne was signed by the Calgary but was cut after two months, which later paved the way to becoming a professional wrestler. Dwayne began his career as a professional wrestler in the year 1996 when he was assigned to several tryout matches for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
In the initial days of his career as a wrestler, he used the name Rocky Maivia. Dwayne started his career in WWE in 1996 and was with them till 2004, then he left WWE, but he soon returned to WWE after seven years in 2011 and was there until he retired in 2019 wrestling.
Dwayne Johnson’s first movie was ‘The Mummy Returns’, which was released in the year 2001. The following year Dwayne signed his first as a lead actor for the movie ‘The Scorpion King’, which was released in the year 2002.
Dwayne has been a part of very successful franchises like Jumaji, Journey, and Fast and Furious. Dwayne Johnson is considered one of the era’s most successful wrestlers and highest-paid actors.
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman is a famous American actress and singer born September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California. She is renowned as Zendaya, receiving various awards, including a Golden Globe Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022 by Time Magazine. She started her career in the entertainment industry as a child model and has now become a successful actress, singer, dancer, and model. She starred in high-profile movies such as the Spiderman movie series, Dune and The Greatest Showman.
The Viral Sensation: Fan-Made “Moana” Live-Action Trailer
Disney fans were surprised when a fan-made trailer for the live-action remake of “Moana” featuring Zendaya and Dwayne Johnson went viral on social media. The trailer showed breathtaking visuals of lush tropical islands, enchanting oceanic vistas, and the vibrant culture of the Pacific Islands, bringing Zendaya’s Moana and Dwayne Johnson’s Maui to life in a captivating new adaptation.
The live-action remake of “Moana” was officially announced by Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger and Dwayne Johnson just four months ago. Johnson, who hails from the Hawaiian island of O’ahu, revealed that all the fan-favourite characters from the Disney animation, including Moana, Maui, Hei Hei, Pua, Gramma Tala, and Te Fiti, would be returning in this remake. However, there was no official announcement regarding the casting of Moana.
The Tale of Moana and Maui Set to Return in Live-Action
The film Moana has the lead character Moana with Auliʻi Cravalho as the voice actor. It shows the voices of Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk. The original songs for the movie were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’I, and an orchestral score was also composed by Mancina.
The film is set in ancient Polynesia and centres around the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a coastal village. The ocean itself chooses her to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti. Moana sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, intending to return the relic to Te Fiti and save her island from severe blight conditions. Though the story takes inspiration from Polynesian myths, it’s original.
Moana’s premiere occurred at the El Capitan Theatre during the AFI Fest in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016, and was released on November 23. Soon after its release, the film received a positive response from the public and critics, who praised its music, animation and vocal performances.
It became popular with a gross collection of over $645 million around the world. Along with Zootopia, it marked the first time since 2002 that Walt Disney Animation Studios released two feature films in the same year, after Lilo & Stitch and Treasure Planet. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“How Far I’ll Go”) at the 89th Academy Awards. Disney announced a possible live-action remake with Johnson reprising his role, which is scheduled for release in 2025.
Disney’s Live-Action Remake Trend: A Mixed Response from Fans
The fan-made trailer sparked excitement and confusion among fans, with many wondering if Zendaya would indeed take on the role of Moana. As per the trailer, she was cast as the titular character, but Zendaya or Disney gave no official confirmation.
It’s important to note that the trailer was not an authorized Disney product and was purely created by fans. Despite this, the trailer gained immense popularity, amassing over 100,000 views on YouTube and tens of thousands of likes and opinions on TikTok.
The Cultural Significance of “Moana” and Its Impact on Pacific Islanders
The “Moana” live-action remake holds significant cultural importance as it aims to celebrate the spirit of bravery, friendship, and the magic that lies within the Pacific Islanders’ rich traditions and stories. Ensuring proper representation and authenticity in casting will be crucial in bringing this empowering tale to the big screen.
As Disney continues its live-action journey, it remains to be seen how fans will respond to the upcoming releases and how the studio will balance nostalgia with originality in its reimagined classics. The success of each live-action adaptation will ultimately hinge on how well these cherished stories are brought to life in a new and immersive way.
As we await more news on the official casting and release date for the “Moana” live-action remake, fans and critics alike will undoubtedly continue to speculate and eagerly anticipate the next steps in Disney’s ongoing live-action journey.
Auliʻi Cravalho’s Exit and the Need for Representation
Auliʻi Cravalho the person who has been voice of Moana in the original animated movie of Moana, announced earlier this year that she won’t be the part of remake of Moana for its live action version. As an executive producer of the film, she emphasized the importance of accurate representation and passing the baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to honour their culture and communities.
Disney has been expanding its live-action universe with upcoming remakes of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and a live-action prequel to “The Lion King,” among others.
Upcoming Remakes and Prequels
Like the other Disney movies like “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, “Cinderella”, and “The Little Mermaid”, made a live action adaption of the animated series, Disney is now set to make a live action adaption of “Moana”. The statement released on the remake of live action adaption of movie “Moana” has gained mixed response by the audience.
One of the major concern the critics have raised is with the pace Disney with remaking live action movies of the old animated series, they feel one day the magic that Disney used to create with its animation will be gone.
