The live-action Moana trailer is here and doesn’t look very live-action

The first trailer for Moana — the next live-action adaptation of a Disney animated film — has arrived. Would you believe that, like most of Disney’s live-action remakes, it looks a lot like am animated film and a lot less like an actual live-action movie?

The trailer for the next iteration of Moana looks spectacular, that’s for sure. It’s full of sweeping visuals, beautiful music, and familiar characters. It also looks like an animated film. The over-the-top visuals see characters flying, water defying gravity, and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) transforming into both a bug and a bird. All of this is accomplished, of course, with digital effects and computer animation. Much like previous adaptations by Disney — The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and The Jungle Book — the level of animation reaches a point where you have to wonder what defines these as “live-action” films, other than the marketing involved.

Whatever the case, this Moana looks like, at the very least, a retelling of the original’s story, complete with new renditions of the songs fans have come to love. A synopsis from Disney reads, “Moana answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.”

Meanwhile, the trailer includes a sample of the new take on “How Far I’ll Go,” as performed by Catherine Laga’aia. The young actor is taking over the role of Moana from Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced the character in the first two films.

One person that hasn’t been replaced is Johnson, who will be playing Maui yet again. Of course, that character already resembled Johnson, so casting him in the live-action take seems reasonable enough.

Arguably the most important part of the trailer comes in the final shot. Moana’s favorite chicken Hei Hei makes an appearance, screaming at the camera. How else would you introduce the movie’s real mascot?

The live-action take on Moana arrives in theaters on July 10, 2026.