A new set video revealed that the upcoming live-action Moana remake will make one intriguing change to the ending.
Inspired by the 2016 animated movie, Disney is set to take Moana to the live-action sphere behind young Hawaii native Catherine Laga'aia in the leading role. The film will also give Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson a chance to reprise his role as Maui and be a producer on the film.
Story details have been kept mostly under wraps, although the plot is expected to change little from the animated film to its live-action follow-up.
Moana Live-Action Set Video Teases Change To Ending
A new set video from the live-action Moana remake, courtesy of X (formerly Twitter) user @BackgridUS, teased a slight change to the original movie's end.
In the original movie, Moana and her parents, Chief Tui and Sina, only briefly interact once Moana returns home to Motonui. The moment lasts about 20 seconds, as Moana says, "I may have gone a little ways past the reef," to which her father smiles and replies, "It suits you."
The video from the set of the live-action movie hints at a much longer reunion between Moana and her parents once she returns from her journey past the reef.
Fans see Catherine Laga'aia hugging John Tui and Frankie Adams (Chief Tui and Sina, respectively) before going back and forth with dialogue. Specifically, Moana and Tui share far more dialogue in this scene than in the film's animated predecessor, indicating the reunion may be longer this time.
The full video from the live-action Moana set can be seen below:
What Will Be Different About Live-Action Moana?
For the time being, Dwayne Johnson is the main connection between the animated and live-action Moana movies, as he plays Maui in both versions. Outside of his portrayal of the shapeshifting demigod, Disney will make at least a few changes to this new take on the story.
Fans saw these changes in movies like The Little Mermaid, which removed an original character from the live-action remake. New songs have also been added to past remakes, while musical numbers from the animated movies have been changed or removed entirely.
Predicting the specific changes for Moana will be difficult without seeing more footage from the set, but Disney is not one to keep things stale when it comes to movies this big.
Thankfully, with strong reviews and excellent box office numbers for Moana 2 this year, Disney should have plenty of momentum going into this new take on the franchise.
Disney's live-action Moana will come to theaters on July 10, 2026.
