First Moana 2 Trailer Heads Into A Massive Storm (And Those Coconuts Are Back Too) [D23]

Disney's bi-annual D23 Expo is happening right now, meaning that some of the biggest news about some of the biggest franchises on the planet is coming our way as we speak. /Film's own Jacob Hall is on hand at the convention, bringing all of the big reveals from Disney's packed movie and TV panel. That includes the latest on "Moana 2," the much-anticipated sequel to the studio's massive, Oscar-winning animated hit from 2016. It was surprise-announced earlier this year after a planned animated sequel for Disney+ was repurposed into a feature film.

The sequel reunites Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) for a brand-new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced. It's worth pointing out that this is in addition to the live-action remake of "Moana," which is currently on Disney's release calendar for summer 2026.

David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller co-directed the film, with Christina Chen and Yvett Merino on board as producers. Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear provided new music for the film along with Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina. But as you can see above, a brand new trailer has debuted for the upcoming sequel.

The trailer opens with a great little action sequence of Moana, punctuated with a little bit of classic Disney humor. Some background is provided to help set the stage for what's to come, with some references to the first film thrown in for good measure, alluding to "How far I'll go," a phrase that will obviously mean something to anyone who has seen the original. Lightning literally strikes Moana's island, setting her on a new journey to a mysterious island that can help bring her people to salvation. She reunites with Maui for another seabound adventure, facing a perilous new villain — as well as some dangerous, walking coconuts. It's very cute in a classic Disney sort of way.

This is far more than the studio showed in the past, with "Moana 2" being previewed at CinemaCon earlier this year before the first teaser trailer dropped online. This is the first time we've been offered a true sense of the story at hand. It's also, not for nothing, a good-looking piece of animation considering it was originally supposed to be a Disney+ TV show. It very much looks ready for the big screen. It seems Disney made the right call by reworking this as a theatrical release.

"Moana 2" is set to hit theaters on November 27, 2024.