Among the myriad of announcements made at the Disney Investor Day presentation in 2020 was a small-screen adaptation of 2016’s excellent Moana, but as with most things since then release dates have changed and projects have been blown off course. However, wind is now set fair on the further adventures of Moana, Maui and Heihei, with the news that a director has been named and the series will set sail in 2024.
Disney Animation made the announcement on Twitter, revealing that David G. Derrick Jr., a storyboard artist on The Lion King, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Encanto, would direct the series, and that Moana would be the first project produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios Vancouver.
Just announced: David G. Derrick Jr. will direct Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana” series for @DisneyPlus. Derrick first joined Disney Animation to work on 2016’s Moana, which deepened his connection with his family’s Samoan roots. pic.twitter.com/0MslhBs9OD
— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) January 21, 2022
Moana was a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. Along the way Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds. It grossed $644M worldwide.
No cast members have been confirmed to return, but the Moana series will pick up immediately after the 2016 blockbuster musical ended.
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