We’re now more than a decade into Disney’s seemingly endless project to remake all of its most beloved animation films as live action/CGI hybrids – and now the time has come for Moana to get a makeover.
The 2016 musical is by some distance the most recent movie to be remade so far, and also the first to see a star of the original voice cast reprise their role in live action – with Dwayne Johnson back in the part of demi-god Maui.
Meanwhile, the central role will this time be played by young star Catherine Laga’aia in the most major role of her career to date.
So far, reviews for the film haven’t been the kindest, with most critics – including our own reviewer Emma Simmonds – pointing out that the new version pales in comparison to the magical original.
But if you’re keen to see for yourself, read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Moana.
How to watch the live-action Moana – is it streaming?
No – Moana is getting an exclusive theatrical run, and so for the time being it will only be available to watch in cinemas.
The good news is that – as with any Disney movie – it’s getting a very wide release with multiple showings a day in just about every major cinema around the country, so there shouldn’t be a lack of options for you to choose from.
Just check your local cinema to find a time that suits you!
When will live-action Moana be available on streaming?
Following the theatrical run, the film will be made available to rent and buy on all the usual premium video on demand platforms such as Prime Video and YouTube.
It’s not been made exactly clear at this point when that date might be, but we can look to the precedent set by Disney’s other recent live action remakes to make a pretty decent educated guess.
Last year, both Lilo & Stitch and Snow White – which had drastically different fates at the box office – had their digital releases almost exactly two months after their theatrical debuts, and so we’d imagine a similar plan will be put in place for Moana.
With that in mind we’d imagine the film will be available for rental and purchase at some point in early to mid September, but we’ll of course keep you updated when we hear anything more official on that front.
When is the live-action Moana coming to Disney+?
Of course, some time after it’s PVOD release, Moana will also be available to watch on Disney+ for all those with a subscription to the streamer.
Again, we can look at previous releases to get a pretty good idea for when that might be. Generally speaking, Disney tends to wait somewhere between 90 and 100 days between theatrical release and streaming release – with the exact date sometimes linked to box office performance.
Our best estimate is therefore that Moana will arrive on Disney+ at some point during the middle of October – and we’ll be looking out for any more concrete updates on that front.
If you’re after a fix of Moana at home before then, you can of course already find both the animated original and its 2024 sequel on the platform.
Moana live-action cast – who stars in the remake?
As mentioned above, young Australian actress Catherine Laga’aia is taking over from Auliʻi Cravalho as the titular character, while Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as Maui from the animated version.
You can find the main cast list below – which also sees Jemaine Clement returning as the voice of giant crab Tamatoa.
- Catherine Laga’aia as Moana
- Dwayne Johnson as Maui
- Rena Owen as Gramma Tala
- John Tui as Chief Tui
- Frankie Adams as Sina
- Jemaine Clement as the voice of Tamatoa
Moana live-action trailer
If you’re on the fence about making the trip to the cinema, perhaps this trailer below will help you make up your mind. You’re welcome!
Moana is released in UK cinemas on Friday 10 July.
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