‘Moana’ Animated vs. Live-Action: 4 Disney Movie Shots Side-By-Side

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Disney has unveiled the first trailer for a live-action version of their popular 2016 animated movie, Moana. Dwayne Johnson will return as Maui, and Catherine Laga’aia will star as Moana. The film is scheduled to be released on July 10, 2026 – just before the tenth anniversary of the original animated film.

Disney’s live-action remakes generally follow one of two paths. Some, like Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, and Mulan, take big creative liberties and reimagine the story. Others, such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, aim to closely recreate the look and feel of the original animated film. The upcoming Moana remake seems to be following the latter approach, with many scenes being almost identical to those in the 2016 animated movie.

The recent 50-second trailer for the live-action Moana included scenes directly taken from the animated movie. Here’s a look at four of the most striking comparisons between the original and the remake, and what those scenes suggest about the new film.

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Moana and the Ocean

A memorable moment in the original Moana was when baby Moana first encountered the ocean as a living character, right after rescuing a turtle. This scene was charming and beautifully animated. The new live-action version recreates this moment with a more realistic-looking ocean, and with Moana being a little older – perhaps a toddler. This change hints that she might remember her interaction with the ocean more vividly than the animated Moana did.

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Enter the Kakamora

During Moana and Maui’s adventure, they run into the Kakamora, a group of pirate-like coconut creatures. Though they eventually team up with Moana and Maui in the sequel, they initially present a significant challenge in the first movie. The upcoming live-action film is recreating the dramatic scene where the Kakamora’s ship rises from the fog, and it appears even larger than in the original animated film. This is likely to create a more expansive and exciting action sequence for the live-action actors.

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Song of the Ancestors

One of the most powerful scenes in the original Moana happens during the song “I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors).” It’s when Moana fully embraces both sides of her identity – her role as a chief’s daughter and her adventurous spirit as a descendant of ancient voyagers. As she sings the famous line, “I am Moana!”, she’s surrounded by the glowing, spiritual ships of her ancestors in the ocean. The live-action remake closely recreates this scene, with Moana alone in the dark, lit by the bioluminescent ships, though with a slightly more green tint, and it appears to mirror a moment from the song “How Far I’ll Go.”

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Hei Hei

Hei Hei is Moana’s silly and somewhat clueless chicken friend who unexpectedly tags along on her journey. He’s famous for his loud, distinctive scream! The new trailer recreates a funny moment from the original movie: Hei Hei panics when he realizes he’s far out at sea on the boat, and Moana has to quiet him by covering his head with a coconut.

Alan Tudyk returns to voice Hei Hei’s signature squawks in this new film. The animators have successfully kept Hei Hei’s funny, cartoon-like appearance while making him look more realistic. Everyone is curious – and a little worried – to see how they’ll portray the giant crab, Tamatoa. Hopefully, the next trailer will give us a glimpse of Tamatoa and a better look at Dwayne Johnson as Maui.

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2025-11-19 21:37