While we await the official trailer drop, Disney has rolled out an all-new teaser for Moana, offering our first peek at John Musker and Ron Clements’ maritime adventure in motion.
Bookended by a brief commentary, you’ll likely need to pour over the snippet two or three times to get a good sense of the story, though the fact that it showcases Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho in their respective roles as towering demi-god Maui and Moana Waialiki is exciting enough.
Stepping into the shoes of a very different Disney Princess, the 14-year-old Cravalho toplines the drama as a Polynesian native, who is coaxed into leaving her humble home behind in search of a fabled island in the South Pacific. A coming-of-age story by nature, Moana distinguishes itself from the pack with its lush setting alone, and the House of Mouse has teased a grand adventure involving sentient volcanos and aquatic sea monsters. Yes, a great adventure is afoot for our wide-eyed islander, though thankfully she’s recruited the help of Dwayne Johnson’s Maui to aid her quest.
After years spent rendering animation for such projects as The Little Mermaid, Musker and Clements are primed to take point to helm their own adventure, which acts as the second original IP releasing under Disney this year after Zootopia.
Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho will hit the high seas when Disney’s Moana sails into theaters in time for November 23, 2016.
Moana is set in the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania. Moana, a born navigator, searches for a fabled island and her incredible journey teams with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, as they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.
