After watching the first 30 minutes of Moana 2 at Walt Disney Animation Studios, I changed my mind about the sequel in three ways

The Walt Disney Animation Studios films will forever hold a special place in my heart because they were crucial to my childhood. I loved growing up in the Renaissance era of the House of Mouse and 2016 Moana After its release, I felt like I was reliving those glory days for the first time in a long time. Then, when Moana 2 was confirmed be one of them upcoming Disney filmsI was very excited, but you should know, me too expressed concerns after the first trailer was released. Now, after watching 30 minutes of the film, I have changed my mind in many ways.

CinemaBlend was invited to an early press day in mid-September at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California to see the first half hour of Moana 2. The participants also had the opportunity to talk to the filmmakers, animators, etc. Now I can finally talk about what I saw (Yes, I will avoid major spoilers), I'd like to talk about what I think of the highly anticipated sequel:

Moana drums intensely in Moana 2 — (Image credit: Walt Disney Animation)

OK, I'm sold on the new songwriters after being disappointed before

With the original Moana debuted, I became seriously obsessed with the soundtrack. When I learned that the sequel didn't involve OG songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, I wasn't all that excited about the musical component of the film. However, now I'm okay with the idea of Miranda passing the baton to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. I wasn't particularly familiar with the authors behind it The unofficial Bridgerton musical But during the press day I heard some of their music in the context of the film and saw them perform some pieces live.

On the one hand, Moana 2 finds many ways to use the original film's soundtrack. There were many sonic throwbacks to the acclaimed film that touched me deeply and showed awe at what Lin-Manuel Miranda worked on with composers Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi. The Cinema release 2024 is again composed by the aforementioned two, but Barlow and Bear bring a youthful and fresh energy to the world of Motunui that is very consistent with the spirit of the first film.

The filmmakers said the new songwriters fit together well because they can better empathize with Moana's journey – and that was noticeable in the songwriting. Bear and Barlow also sang a tune that we didn't actually see a scene for and was apparently related the mysterious villain of the filmand after hearing it, I really wanted to repeat it.

Moana holds her sister as she reaches for an ocean wave in Moana 2

(Image credit: Walt Disney Animation)

Moana's more mature character arc excites me

When I first wrote about it Moana 2I expressed my reservations about the need for a sequel since the first feature was such a perfect film about Polynesian folklore and the young heroine learning to believe in herself. However, since learning more about the film's plot from the filmmakers and watching the footage, I have completely changed my mind about the need for a sequel. While filming the first film “Moana” at the age of 16, This film will take place three years later and follow her as a 19 year old.

During a question and answer session at Walt Disney Animation following the screening of the first part of the film, the writers/directors spoke about how they were inspired to talk about the hero who faces a responsibility that they couldn't have spoken in the first film. In the sequel Moana has a little sister named Simeawho will raise the stakes of the film because she doesn't want to abandon her little sibling. In addition, she will have a crew with whom she will have her hands full on her journey.

While Moana's first trip was all about seeing “how far” she could go, she's now become a legend and important figure on her island, and that comes with a lot of pressure. The creative team talked about the film being about “continuous personal growth,” and that’s a theme I can totally support.

On the other hand, with Maui, Moana 2 sees the demigod getting into his own trouble and determined not to need Moana to save him. Dwayne Johnson talked about it The sequel challenges notions of masculinityas he shared that “asking for help is actually a superpower.” I saw this set up in an interesting way. Overall, I like that I left the screening with a deeper interest in their journeys as characters, although I'm still wondering if the execution in the second and third acts will satisfy me.

Maui does a power pose in Moana 2

(Image credit: Walt Disney Animation)

The fact that Moana 2 was originally conceived as a TV show no longer bothers me

If you have been following the production of Moana 2You may know that it was originally developed as a series for Disney+ a year ago Studio surprised fans by making it a feature film with a theatrical release. While this is an inside detail about the sequel, it made me nervous as a fan because it made me think that this film may have become more of a makeshift sequel than I would have liked. Now that I've seen part of the film and been with some of the key people behind the production, I feel much more confident about the goals and quality of the film. The film's production origins are not the cause for concern.

It sounds like the project was approached with great care from the start and that the pivot only enhanced the story the creatives wanted to tell. When I spoke to Daniel Arriaga – one of the film's key animators – at press day, he told me the following:

We were able to spend more time with each character than before because we didn't have enough time to be rushed.

Now that I know Moana 2 It's actually become a better project thanks to the switch, I'm so ready to get more excited about it. Sure, I still have some reservations about Disney sequels in general, and I have yet to see the rest of this film. But in the end, I think Moana deserves to be further explored as a character! You can also look forward to the film's theatrical release, which opens in cinemas on November 27, 2024, and stream the first film now with a Disney+ subscription.

After watching the first 30 minutes of Moana 2 at Walt Disney Animation Studios, I changed my mind about the sequel in three ways

OK, I'm sold on the new songwriters after being disappointed before

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