The internet loves few things more than a far-fetched conspiracy theory surrounding a high-profile celebrity, so it’s easy to see why so many people latched onto the belief that Dwayne Johnson is the number one driving force behind Disney’s live-action remake of Moana.
After all, not only was he announced to be reprising the role of Maui in the big budget do-over, but he’s also producing through his Seven Bucks company as well. That isn’t a role he held on the animated original, and the fact Moana was plunged into development less than seven years after its theatrical bow does add weight to the theory he’s the one pushing it through so quickly for the sole purpose of taking top billing in a guaranteed box office smash hit.
The back-to-back failures of Black Adam and DC League of Super-Pets put a couple of sizeable dents in both his reputation and bulletproof box office aura, and with Red One heading nowhere but Prime Video, he could do with a commercial success sooner rather than later.
Either way, Moana has at least recruited a director worthy of generating genuine and non-cynical excitement through Broadway extraordinaire Tommy Kail, and The Rock couldn’t be happier about it.
The Little Mermaid running the risk of falling short at the box office could hint that the remake well is beginning to run dry for Disney, but Johnson will be determined to ensure Moana is nothing but a monster. Conspiracy theories aside, Kail is an excellent choice, but let’s just hope the end result manages to justify its existence.