Overview
- Disney released the first full trailer on Monday, confirming Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana, Dwayne Johnson as Maui, Thomas Kail as director, and a July 10, 2026 theatrical date.
- Viewers focused on Johnson’s long wig and muscle suit, with many posts calling the design off and others saying the trailer looks like a shot‑for‑shot redo of the 2016 hit.
- Dwayne Johnson said the Maui prosthetics and hair added about 40 pounds and took roughly two and a half hours to apply, and Thomas Kail said the wig had to hold shape and look real when soaked on water sets.
- The footage showcases familiar scenes, characters and songs, and Disney highlights Polynesian casting with Auliʻi Cravalho moving into an executive producer role rather than returning as the lead.
- Outlets ranged from mockery to guarded praise, framing the split as part of a broader debate over Disney’s live‑action strategy, which critics call unoriginal even as recent remakes have performed strongly at the box office.