By Anna Menta Published July 9, 2026, 11:30 a.m. ET How far will Disney go with live-action remakes of their popular animated movies? At least as far as the live-action Moana 2026 movie, which opens in movie theaters this weekend. Directed by Thomas Kail (a theater director known for his collabs with Moana composer Lin-Manuel Miranda), with a screenplay written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, the 2026 Moana movie stars Australian actress Catherine Laga’aia in her feature film debut. That’s a tough break for Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the 2016 animated film, but at least they gave her an “executive producer” title on the live-action film in consolation. Meanwhile, Dwayne Johnson will return to his role as Maui, the braggadocios demi-god who accompanies Moana on her journey t