Live-Action Moana: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Return To Restore Original’s Musical Magic

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Disney has a chance to fix the biggest problem with the upcoming Moana sequel. The first Moana movie was a huge success for Disney this century, performing well in theaters and remaining popular on streaming services – it was the most-watched film across all platforms in both 2023 and 2024. Originally intended as a Disney+ series, the studio made a smart decision by developing it into a full-length movie instead.

Released over Thanksgiving weekend in 2024, Moana 2 earned $1.059 billion globally, surpassing the box office performance of the original Moana. Despite its financial success, the sequel generally didn’t receive the same positive reviews. Critics gave the first Moana a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but Moana 2 only scored 60%.

Although the first Moana movie didn’t make a huge profit in theaters, its fantastic soundtrack – featuring songs by Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Lin-Manuel Miranda – helped it become very popular. Lin-Manuel Miranda wasn’t involved in Moana 2, and its music hasn’t resonated as strongly. Luckily, with Miranda now working on the live-action remake of Moana, the music should once again become a hit.

Moana 2’s Soundtrack Needed Lin-Manuel Miranda

Image via Disney

Many of Disney’s biggest animated hits feature memorable music, and Moana is no exception – its soundtrack is among the studio’s finest. The song “How Far I’ll Go” quickly became a fan favorite and earned an Academy Award nomination. Even years later, songs like “You’re Welcome” and “We Know the Way” are still widely enjoyed.

The music from Disney’s Moana has become a beloved and prominent feature of the Disney experience, often played in its theme parks and on its cruise lines. However, the music from the sequel wasn’t as popular with fans. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the songs for the first film, didn’t participate in the sequel, and Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear were responsible for the songwriting this time around.

I have to be honest, the music in Moana 2 wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t hit the same way the first movie did. The new songs, like “Beyond,” didn’t have the emotional impact of “How Far I’ll Go,” and “Can I Get A Chee Hoo” didn’t get stuck in my head like Maui’s other song did. It felt like something was missing – the original soundtrack had these really catchy melodies and beats, thanks to Miranda, and this one just didn’t quite have that same magic.

Miranda’s Return Is Key For The Remake’s Success

Even though Lin-Manuel Miranda wasn’t involved with Moana 2, he’s continued to work closely with Disney. He created the popular soundtrack for Encanto and recently added songs to the 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid, plus he composed the music for Mufasa: The Lion King. He’s become a key creative force at Disney and plans to stay with the studio for the foreseeable future.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is involved in the upcoming live-action version of Moana as a producer. While it’s not confirmed if he’ll write new music for the film, Dwayne Johnson suggested it’s a possibility in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is returning to the project, and we’ll be handling the music. Tommy Kail, the director of Hamilton, is also on board. When you have such a talented group of people, you aim high and give it your all.

Disney’s live-action remakes often include additional songs, building on the music from the original animated films. While it would be unexpected if Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t add any new songs, he can still make sure the remake honors the fantastic soundtrack of the original Moana.

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2025-11-25 00:31