The sequel to the beloved Walt Disney Studios modern classic Moana is slated to hit theaters this November 27th. Moana 2 has been one of the most highly anticipated sequels for Disney in recent years. Not only did the original film resonate with audiences when it was released in 2016, but it was also a huge financial success, grossing $643,331,111 worldwide. With the original Moana making such a high profit, it was only a matter of time before Disney created a sequel to the film.
However, why is it that the sequel is coming out eight years after the original’s initial release? It is not unheard of for sequels to come out years after the previous installment, but when taking into account the number of sequels and remakes Disney has put out recently, the question of whether these movies are created out of creativity or financial gain is brought up. Amidst the modern Disney era of putting old characters in fancy new “live-action coats”, and using those old characters in new shows and movies, audiences have started to ask the question; “Do we need more adaptations of old Disney stories?”
Walt Disney Studios is a film company that gained its notoriety off of its imaginative and creative works of animation. Their very first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in 1937. This film, too, has a remake that is set to release in March 2025 and has its fair share of controversy surrounding it. Disney fans and the general public have voiced their opinions about this film since its announcement, with several people stating that Snow White (2025) is just another shameless cash grab for the Walt Disney Corporation. This conversation has come up again and again with each new sequel or live-action remake that Disney releases. Some examples of those films include The Little Mermaid (2023), Mulan (2020), The Lion King (2019), and Toy Story 4.
More upcoming Disney sequels and remakes revealed at this year’s D23 include Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, Frozen 3, Incredibles 3, Mufasa: The Lion King, A live-action Lilo & Stitch film, and a live-action Hercules film. Many of the previously listed films are objectively unnecessary since most have stories with a fitting conclusion. The sequels and remakes that have been released so far also have faced the issue of falling into irrelevancy, leaving behind no noteworthy substance to sprout discussion except that of criticism of their existence.
The main critique of these reboots and new installments of old Disney franchises can be summarized with the sentiment that they fail to be original and fail to capture the imagination and support of their audience. Despite the backlash Walt Disney Studios received from audiences regarding their production of re-hashed concepts in bulk, the corporation will most likely continue to follow its formula as it has proved to make the company a hefty profit.
The phenomenon of popular franchises being revived for a new film is not exclusive to Disney. In the modern era of film, it is the norm for companies to use “nostalgia bait” to get audiences in theater seats and money in their pockets. This is why Disney has taken such great advantage of the nostalgia-based film market.
However, with all this being said, it is not impossible for these types of films to turn out to be genuinely well-made and well-written. Going back to Moana 2, it would be unfair to write off this move as a soulless, unimaginative cash grab before it’s given the chance to show what it has to offer. While it is likely Disney put this sequel in motion knowing it would make them a great amount of money, behind the film, there is still a team of people who put hours of work into the project. Just this year, Disney proved that sequels that are made several years later can still turn out to be films with heart-felt stories with Inside Out 2.
While there is definitely an oversaturation of Disney sequels and many of these sequels don’t hold a candle to their predecessors, these films are capable of quality storytelling and production. So, in the case of Moana 2, the only way to make a proper judgment of the film’s integrity is to watch it for yourself.
