Disney’s live-action Moana trailer has arrived, giving audiences a first look at Dwayne Johnson’s Maui, Tamatoa, Te Fiti and the storm-tossed voyage at the heart of the story — and making it clear this remake aims to honor the original while leaning into live-action spectacle. That matters because the film follows two blockbuster Moana installments and arrives July 10, positioned as a major summer release.

What we saw in the trailer

The new footage opens with sweeping ocean photography: whales breaching, the Cave of the Ancestors, and a tense storm sequence that underscores how grounded live-action changes the stakes for Moana, played by Catherine Laga’aia. Fans will spot familiar characters now realized in flesh and VFX — the mischievous Kakamora, the stowaway rooster Heihei, and the glittering giant crab Tamatoa, whose treasure hoard flashes in gold.

The trailer recreates the iconic meeting between Moana and Maui with the same playful beat: “Maui.. Demigod of the wind and sea-” Moana says, only for Maui to correct, “Hero of men… Ah! Women, women too. Men and women!” The end of the clip raises the stakes: “My island, my people… won’t survive if we don’t make it. The ocean chose me for a reason.”

New glimpses and VFX moments

  • A glimpse of the Realm of Monsters and a terrifying flash of what appears to be the lava demon referenced in the trailer.
  • Te Fiti is hinted at, and Tamatoa returns with Jermaine Clement back as the crab’s voice/soul, according to director comments.
  • Bill Westenhoffer and a top VFX team handled the challenge of translating inherently animated figures into a photoreal world.

Director Thomas Kail on translating Maui

Thomas Kail — fresh from Hamilton — told reporters that bringing Maui to live action meant balancing the spirit of the original with Dwayne Johnson’s presence. “Maui looks more like Dwayne, but I think that the spirit is the same,” Kail said, adding that Johnson brought new jokes and a willingness to explore Maui’s history. Kail said the filmmakers aimed to preserve the original story’s arc while adding new dialogue and comedic beats where it felt right.

Kail also discussed staging the musical moments. He described the opportunity “You’re Welcome” provides to introduce Maui’s showmanship and confirmed Lin-Manuel Miranda returned to work with the production, though he stopped short of revealing whether there are brand-new songs. Kail declined to confirm specifics but said the cast interprets the familiar songs in their own way.

Cast, crew and why it matters

Catherine Laga’aia stars as Moana, with Dwayne Johnson back as Maui. Supporting cast includes John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. Original Moana voice Auli’i Cravalho remains involved as an executive producer. The soundtrack will feature the original team — Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina — reimagined for live action.

Audience expectations and next steps

The live-action version follows a franchise that recently saw Moana 2 cross the billion-dollar mark in 2024, so expectations are high. Early reactions to the trailer focused on the balance between honoring the animated original and offering something new: bigger visual stakes, physical peril, and a more tactile sense of the world.

Moana sails into theaters on July 10. Expect more clips, interviews and behind-the-scenes details as Disney ramps up marketing ahead of release.