When you look at some of the numbers, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to believe was ever going to be anything but a movie.

When the dropped in May, it was watched 178 million times in 24 hours. That害羞草研究所檚 more than 害羞草研究所淚nside Out 2,害羞草研究所� more than 害羞草研究所淔rozen 2,害羞草研究所� more than any animated Disney movie before.

A veritable ocean害羞草研究所檚 worth of anticipation is awaiting the sequel to 2016害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢oana,害羞草研究所� all proof that one of the more dramatic pivots in recent Walt Disney Co. history is paying off, big time. 害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� was originally intended to be a streaming series. Now, it害羞草研究所檚 steering toward being . What can you say except you害羞草研究所檙e welcome?

When Bob Iger returned as chief executive of Disney in late 2022, one of his top priorities was shifting away from putting the studio害羞草研究所檚 most prized assets onto streaming. He wanted to put the focus back on the big screen 害羞草研究所� and all the ancillary benefits (including merchandizing and streaming) that follow after.

The series that directors David Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand had worked on for more than a year would become 害羞草研究所淢oana 2.害羞草研究所� The movie, which also added Dana Ledoux Miller as a director and co-writer, . It害羞草研究所檚 opening Nov. 27.

害羞草研究所淚t became all hands on board,害羞草研究所� Derrick says. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a saying in Samoa: 害羞草研究所楢ll together or not at all.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Derrick and Hand, both veteran storyboard artists at Disney, had effectively done their job too well. Their work convinced Disney executives to put the studio害羞草研究所檚 full weight behind a theatrical film, even though a live-action 害羞草研究所淢oana害羞草研究所� remained in development. (That movie, directed by Thomas Kail, is set to open in July 2026.)

害羞草研究所淲e developed the world, we developed the over-arching story that we害羞草研究所檙e still telling,害羞草研究所� says Derrick. 害羞草研究所淲e would screen it in our big theater the way we watch all of us our projects here. There was a groundswelling, unanimous concert of everyone saying this needs to be on the big screen.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t was always going to be big,害羞草研究所� adds Hand. 害羞草研究所淚t just kept on getting bigger.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� was at the nexus of a major shift for Disney and for Hollywood in calculating how to weigh theatrical and streaming. Different studios have different strategies and those are still evolving. But after rushing to throw as much content as possible on streaming services, companies like Disney began to rethink their approach.

This year, Disney has regained its box-office swagger, led by a pair of $1 billion films in and 害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� could make it three. But however well 害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� does, it害羞草研究所檚 not likely to hurt its appeal once it begins streaming. The most popular film on Disney+ last year? 害羞草研究所淢oana.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e always felt that it deserved to be on the big screen害羞草研究所� says Hand. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the best way to tell a story.害羞草研究所�

But the shift for 害羞草研究所淢oana 2,害羞草研究所� which returns Auli害羞草研究所檌 Cravalho as the voice of Moana and Dwayne Johnson as the voice of Maui, wasn害羞草研究所檛 easy. First of all, that meant living up to the standard of the first film 害羞草研究所� one that Miller, who is of Samoan heritage, considers groundbreaking for its Pacific Islander representation.

害羞草研究所淚 knew as a writer that movie was going to change what was possible,害羞草研究所� says Miller. 害羞草研究所淚t was going to change the way when I walk into a room I was going to be able to pitch a story because people had a new understanding of what it meant to be of the Pacific.害羞草研究所�

Miller, who founded the organization PEAK (Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti) as a way for Pasifika people to find community in Hollywood, is also a writer on the live-action 害羞草研究所淢oana.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淢y world has become all Moana all the time,害羞草研究所� she says, laughing.

Both films, the directors say, developed alongside each other, with many connections and shared cultural consultants.

Set three years after the original film, 害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� finds Moana again forced to head across the Pacific on an ocean adventure. But this time, she害羞草研究所檚 traveling with a crew, in a new canoe, and carrying new responsibilities. That includes her younger sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda).

害羞草研究所淭he way the first film connected her to her past, she害羞草研究所檚 now connecting everyone to the future,害羞草研究所� says Derrick. 害羞草研究所淪o we added and created all these new characters when it was in series and we got to know them in a deep way.害羞草研究所�

Hand compares the series development to a workshop for the new characters.

害羞草研究所淵es, it was a massive undertaking 害羞草研究所� probably more so than what we initially imagined,害羞草研究所� Hand says. 害羞草研究所淏ut ultimately we were telling that same story. A lot of stuff that went by the wayside just naturally helped the story be its proper fighting weight.害羞草研究所�

Now, Moana is joined by a wayfinding crew that includes the characters Loto (Rose Matafeo), an engineer; Kele (David Fane), a grumpy farmer; and Moni (Hual膩lai Chung), a historian and storyteller.

害羞草研究所淲hat people don害羞草研究所檛 realize is that the people in the Pacific found the last discoverable land on Earth,害羞草研究所� says Derrick, who also has ancestral ties to Samoa. 害羞草研究所淭hey created the largest cultural ethnosphere in the world prior to westward expansion 害羞草研究所� one third of the Earth, all through the art and spirituality and science of wayfinding. So for me, it害羞草研究所檚 very important that each one of these crew members display that Indigenous genius that it took.害羞草研究所�

Honoring such things tends to resonate much differently in a movie theater than it does on a television. The makers of 害羞草研究所淢oana 2害羞草研究所� are still rushing to get their film ready for cinemas, with all the spectacle and music they can fit into it. But they know their young Polynesian protagonist will be seen big.

害羞草研究所淲hen I watched the first film, I was pregnant with my first child,害羞草研究所� Miller says. 害羞草研究所淚 thought to myself as I was watching it: The world will be forever different because of this movie. My child will never not know a world where they are not seen on the biggest stage.害羞草研究所�