Dwayne Johnson Confirms Moana 3 Development Is Already Underway
Disney is already looking ahead to the next chapter of Moana, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirming that Moana 3 is in development.
Speaking at a press event for the newly announced live-action Moana, Johnson said the studio is actively working on the follow-up. He also tied the writing team to the project, noting that Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller—who previously wrote the scripts for Moana 2 and the live-action remake—will be responsible for the story in Moana 3.
Johnson made the point directly: “Yes, we have talked about Moana 3, yes. But first, live-action Moana, we’ll let that come out first. We have [the] amazing Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, who have been our writers… they will pen Moana 3.”
Because animated features take a long time to produce, it’s likely more than a couple of years before Moana 3 reaches theaters. The live-action remake is scheduled to arrive next weekend, though early trailer reactions haven’t been particularly strong. Some viewers have questioned why Disney would revisit a beloved animated film that’s only about a decade old, even as the broader trend has continued—especially after the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake showed studios and audiences are still willing to show up for these reimaginings.
The financial backing for that strategy is also coming from other recent releases. Lilo & Stitch’s live-action version reportedly topped $1 billion at the box office last summer, and Disney has already moved ahead with a sequel, targeting a summer 2028 release. With that in mind, Moana could become one of the next remakes to test whether the model still has momentum—particularly with the theatrical calendar stacked by major releases like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Minions & Monsters, and Disney’s own Toy Story 5.
That skepticism is understandable when you look at how Moana 2 was received. Even though it reached the billion-dollar box office milestone, review coverage was more mixed. IGN’s review score for the sequel was 6/10, with the publication arguing that the second outing doesn’t expand on what made the original stand out: “The ill-conceived Moana 2 is a reminder of what was noteworthy in the original, namely the songs and the humorous supporting characters. While the sequel gets some laughs, it doesn’t make the world Moana introduced eight years ago feel richer or more exciting. The few aspects with potential to turn this into a memorable odyssey – including an intriguing new character – are unfortunately stifled.”
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
