The live-action Moana movie faces a big problem, but it’s not the one you think.
Nearly 10 years after the animated Moana opened in theaters, Disney is giving the musical adventure franchise the live-action treatment. Directed by Thomas Kail, 2026’s Moana stars Catherine Laga’aia as the titular character, who courageously leaves her home island and embarks on a journey to restore good fortune to her people.
Joining Moana on this journey is the infamous demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson, who also voiced the character in two Moana movies.
Has enough time passed since the animated Moana to warrant a live-action movie? Keep in mind, it’s been less than two years since Moana 2, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Can you feel nostalgic for a franchise that remains relatively fresh in audiences’ minds?
Those questions are some of the challenges the live-action Moana faces. However, it’s not the most concerning element.
What Lilo & Stitch got right that Moana should learn from
Disney’s live-action remakes are predominantly shot-for-shot remakes of its animated movies. That formula has worked for the live-action Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. However, there must be some new elements in the Moana remake movie to add a sense of freshness to the familiar property.
Take Lilo & Stitch as an example. The 2025 live-action Lilo & Stitch followed the storyline of the 2002 animated movie. However, it made several crucial changes to certain elements of the movie. The biggest difference is the removal of Captain Gantu, the primary antagonist of the animated film. Instead, Jumba becomes the primary live-action villain.
2025’s Lilo & Stitch also added a few new characters, including Mrs. Kekoa and Tūtū. Finally, the live-action movie also includes an ending that focuses on Nani’s future. These changes clearly paid off. Lilo & Stitch grossed over $1 billion worldwide and allowed Disney to greenlight a sequel.
Disney has hopefully followed the Lilo & Stitch blueprint for Moana. The live-action Moana will likely include all of the signature songs and main storyline from the animated film. However, it needs to have new elements to differentiate it from the animated movie. There will be new dialogue and jokes, but hopefully some new characters and plot points will surface as well. If not, the critical and fan reaction to the live-action adventure might suffer.
The live-action Moana opens in theaters on July 10, 2026.
