Interviews with Dwayne Johnson and the Moana filmmakers
Disney’s next Princess movie Moana is one of the most anticipated in a long time, if the slew of fan renditions of the Pacific Island-based story is to be believed. We learned a good deal more about the film at Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA this weekend, and got a chance to see some initial work. There isn’t much of a cast list yet, but Dwayne Johnson will be voicing the demigod Maui, and singing.
ComingSoon.net got to chat with directors John Musker and Ron Clements, and producer Osnat Shurer, as well as Johnson, who shared lots of details about his upcoming Baywatch film and his HBO show “Ballers,” which has surpassed “Entourage” as the most watched half-hour show on the cable network.
Clements, Musker and Shurer shared their inspiration for the film, the trips to the Pacific Islands and what they learned once they left the tourist destinations and discovered more about the culture. Shurer also assured us that Princess Moana is a powerful female character who drives the story and goes on a heroes’ journey. We asked if this was influenced by author Joseph Campbell and were told that it absolutely is. We also got some insight into some of the other characters that we’re going to see in the film, including Moana’s father, the chief of the village. The directors and producers talked about the fan art that’s out there and why this seems to be striking a chord with Disney fans.
Johnson shared what playing this character meant to him, and talked about getting the chance to sing, as well as how Maui is flawed and how Moana changes him. We learned about why Baywatch is lucky to have an R rating, some of the casting and how much fun they’re having doing the film.
Check out our interviews below and stay tuned to ComingSoon.net’s D23 Expo Hub for more news and information from the event. Moana will hit theaters on November 23, 2016.
