Moana and Maui are back together and they’re hitting the seas once again in the latest trailer for “Moana 2.”
Debuting at the D23 Expo in Anaheim on Friday night, the footage dives deeper into the mysterious call from her ancestors Moana received in the first teaser trailer back in May. You can watch the footage in the video below.
Both Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson return to voice Moana and Maui respectively, with the sequel taking place three years after the events of the original film. And they were both on hand to debut the clip. Cravalho came out singing the new song from the film, “We’re Back” to uproarious applause from the Disney fanatics on hand.
Johnson followed her out onstage, dancing awkwardly to tribal drums, before delivering an enthusiastic hype-up.
“In Polynesian culture, we have a phrase that we say — it elicits energy, motivation. And we’re going to get all 12,000+ of you to say it here tonight. Are you ready? Let me get a cheeehoooo,” he said.
“That was amazing but that’s not good enough. This is the largest crowd D23 has ever had in the history of Disney. We’re going to do it one more time — can I get a chee-hooo?” he asked again to the crowd.
The Cravalho explained, “when we meet Moana again she has become the leader of the land and sea but more excitingly, she’s a big sister. Her sister is her whole world. When she’s not in big sis mode, she spends her time searching near by islands for evidence that there are more people.”
Johnson then interjected, “Maui is singing again. Singing in keys that don’t exist. My hair looks fantastic in Moana 2,” he joked. “This will be Maui and Moana’s most exciting journey yet.”
“Just personally, I know what it means for me as a man of Polynesian descent. I know what this means for Auli’i too. I want to take a moment — this idea of a young girl who is empowered and who feels like there is. more to life than what’s in front of her. This is really important for ‘Moana 2.’ Whether you’re a little girl or a little boy, all of us in this room, this idea of believing that there is more.,” Johnson continued, nodding to his 8 year old and 6 year old daughters, Jasmine and Tiana.
“If Te-ka was bad, wait until you see the villains we have in this one. It is the storm of all storms,” Johnson added.
According to Disney’s official synopsis, “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”
The animated sequel will once again contain brand new original songs, but Lin-Manuel Miranda isn’t returning to handle the soundtrack as he did for “Moana.” Instead, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are handling the music.
Only one song has been revealed so far, and it’s called “We’re Back.” Fans got a first look at it as part of the footage shown at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival earlier this summer.
“Moana 2” is set to hit theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.