Disney’s live-action Moana sets July 2026 theatrical release

Disney is betting that Moana can do more than sell a ticket again. The live-action reimagining is set for theaters on July 10, 2026, with Catherine Lagaaia starring as Moana and Dwayne Johnson reprising Maui, a pairing the studio is using to turn one of its biggest animated properties into another nationwide event.

The company has framed the film as a return to Motunui, where Moana answers the Ocean’s call and travels beyond the reef to restore prosperity for her people. That story keeps the core of the 2016 animated film intact while shifting the presentation into live action, a move Disney has used repeatedly to extend the life of its most durable brands. The studio first announced the project in April 2023.

The franchise comes with major box-office momentum. The original Moana grossed about $643.3 million worldwide and earned two Oscar nominations, giving Disney a modern animated hit that crossed over well beyond the family audience. Moana 2 raised the stakes further by crossing $1 billion worldwide, making the live-action version arrive after the property had already become one of the company’s most reliable franchises.

Disney’s cast announcements have also underscored Pacific Island representation as part of the film’s appeal. John Tui will play Chief Tui, Frankie Adams will play Sina, and Rena Owen will play Gramma Tala, joining Lagaaia and Johnson in a lineup that keeps the story rooted in Polynesian characters and voices. Disney has also said the production kicks off this summer, a sign that the studio is moving the project from announcement to a full theatrical rollout.

The live-action Moana is being produced by Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Beau Flynn, Auli‘i Cravalho, Scott Sheldon, Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller. With a theatrical-only release and familiar characters front and center, Disney is treating the film as both a cultural return and a box-office strategy, asking whether live action can deepen audience connection to Moana’s Pacific world or simply refresh a franchise that was already performing at the top of Disney’s catalog.