Moana is probably modern Disney’s most beloved franchise. The 2016 film already has a sequel coming out, and the first movie has already begun filming a live-action remake. This is unprecedented for Disney, as the movie is only eight years old. Disney’s live-action remakes don’t have the best reputation, but Moana has something that those movies didn’t: a member of the original cast reprising their role for the live-action adaptation. Dwayne Johnson is returning as Maui and a new set photo shows what he’s going to look like in the upcoming movie. You can check it out for yourself here.
All told, it’s a simple photo — a bit blurry, showing stars Catherine Laga’aia as Moana with Dwayne Johnson as Maui on set. However, it is the first look at Johnson as the live-action Maui that we’ve seen. Johnson previously confirmed that the live-action Moana had begun filming, and many fans of the original were wondering just how they’d make Johnson look like his animated counterpart. While Johnson is a large man thanks to his career as WWE’s “The Rock” ensuring that he is a mountain of muscle, the animated Maui was much, much wider than Johnson is in real life. This photo is the first time fans have gotten to see how the live-action film will replicate that physique.
Judging from the photo, it appears that there are some prosthetics involved. Johnson has gotten bigger as a Hollywood star than he ever was as a wrestler, but he was never going to get Maui-sized without a little help. The live-action Maui isn’t nearly as wide as the animated one, but still looks great. Laga’aia looks pretty great as Moana as well, but Johnson’s Maui is definitely what draws the eye. Maui was a highlight of the original Moana, and Johnson has always proven to be entertaining, something that also stems from his days as a wrestler. The Rock became a top star thanks to his antics outside of matches as much as in them. If the live-action remake can make Maui work, much of its job is done, and this photo shows that they’re on the right track.
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Moana‘s live-action remake has a pretty tough mountain to climb. While several of Disney’s live-action remakes have been very successful financially, few of them have a big fan following. The cast of the live-action Moana is going to have a lot of attention on them, especially as the movie gets closer to completion and release, but this image of Moana and Maui show that the filmmakers are serious about getting things right, even with the limitations that live-action put on animated source material.
Moana is scheduled to release on July 10, 2026.
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