First teaser for Disney’s live-action Moana sees her singing, island visions and haunting ocean calls
The sea speaks in the first teaser trailer for Disney’s live-action Moana, and Catherine Lagaʻaia answers. The actress, playing the iconic Polynesian heroine, sings part of Moana’s signature “I Want” song over shots of her island, the vast ocean and haunting glimpses of characters from the original tale.
The film opens with Lagaʻaia’s Moana declaring, “I am a girl who loves my island and the girl who loves the sea … It calls me.” Her voice carries a quiet urgency, as waves literally bend around a young girl playing at the shoreline, evoking a magical connection between her and the ocean.
Filmed by director Thomas Kail, the live-action remake revisits familiar scenes from the 2016 animated original while adding new emotional weight. The footage teases villagers on Motunui, the trickster demigod Maui, the fearsome seafaring Kakamora, and Moana’s comical rooster Heihei.
Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Maui in the original film, returns to the role in live action, lending continuity to the character. The cast also includes John Tui as Chief Tui, Motunui’s ruler and Moana’s father; Frankie Adams as Sina, her mother; and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala.
The plot appears to echo the original’s beats. Moana longs to become a wayfinder and ventures beyond her home to find Maui and the Heart of Te Fiti, driven by her people’s need for salvation. That mission may carry even more emotional resonance and realism in live action.
In the final moments of the trailer, Lagaʻaia’s Moana gives a triumphant proclamation: “I am Moana.” The line lands with force, signalling a renewed determination and a heroine fully grounded in her destiny.
The original Moana was a box-office hit, grossing $643.3 million globally during its initial run. Its sequel, Moana 2, was even more successful — one of three films in 2024 to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide. Notably, Auliʻi Cravalho, the voice of Moana in the animated films, serves as an executive producer on the live-action remake, joined by Kail, Scott Sheldon and Charles Newirth.
Disney has set the live-action Moana release date for 10 July 2026, giving fans months to speculate about how Kail’s version might balance magical realism, cultural authenticity and the film’s emotional journey.
The teaser offers just a taste, but it is enough to suggest that this Moana will wrestle with more than just adventure. It seems poised to explore her bond with the sea as a living force. The ocean, after all, is not only her home, it is her calling.
Perhaps the real test will be whether this new Moana can live up to the legacy of her animated predecessor while bringing something new. For now, the first trailer has summoned her back to the waves in a way that is both reverent and stirring.