Disney & Dwayne Johnson Announce Live-Action ‘Moana’ Adaptation

You’re welcome! Disney announced on Monday (April 3) that it’s developing a live-action adaptation of Moana with help from Dwayne Johnson.

The actor otherwise known as The Rock shared the thrilling news in a video filmed on the island of Oahu. While his two daughters played in the sand, Johnson revealed he plans to bring Maui — the charismatic demigod he originally voiced in the 2016 modern classic — to life by returning to the role for the new live-action version. Other casting has yet to be announced, but in the video, he promised, “It’s still very early in the process, there’s so much more work to be done but until then, there is one more thing that I need to kick this journey off right” before sending his girls to fetch a replica of Maui’s magical fish hook.

“This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength,” he said in a separate statement. “I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me.”

Set on the fictional island of Motunui, Moana starred the voice talents of Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Rachel House as Grandma Tala, Jemaine Clement as the villainous coconut crab Tamatoa, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Temuera Morrison as Tui and Alan Tudyk as Heihei the rooster. Lin-Manuel Miranda eventually won the Grammy Award for best song written for visual media for “How Far I’ll Go” from the film. Another tune from the film, “You’re Welcome” performed by The Rock, debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 42 in 2016.

Watch Johnson’s exciting announcement from the beaches of Hawaii below.