Moana (2016 film)

Moana is a 2016 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements from a screenplay by Jared Bush and stars Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho in her film debut. It features songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, and an original score also composed by Mancina. The film is set in ancient Polynesia and tells the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a coastal village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti. When a blight strikes her island, Moana sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in hopes of returning the relic to Te Fiti and saving her people. The screenplay takes inspiration from Polynesian myths.

Moana premiered during the AFI Fest at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 23. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $687 million worldwide. At the 89th Academy Awards, the film received two nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song ("How Far I'll Go"). Available on Disney+, Moana was the most-streamed film in the United States from 2020 to 2024, leading The Wall Street Journal to describe it as "the No.1 movie in streaming history." A sequel, Moana 2, was released in 2024, while a live-action remake is scheduled for release in 2026, with Johnson reprising his role as Maui in both.