SUMMARY
- Dwayne Johnson is set to reprise his role in the recently announced sequel to animated Disney movie "Moana."
- The Rock has opened up on why the franchise is so near and dear to his heart.
Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, has made a huge name for himself both in the world of professional wrestling and in Hollywood. Several movies by Johnson have helped him gain popularity among fans. One such movie is Moana, which was released in 2016 and went on to become a huge success at the box office.
With that, previously at CinemaCon, Dwayne Johnson surprised the fans by performing a Polynesian dance to introduce the highly anticipated footage of Moana 2. Apart from that, Disney recently shared the first look of the movie in a presentation in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that earlier, it was reported that a live-action adaptation of Moana was in development by Disney.
BREAKING: A live-action adaptation of Moana is in the works at Disney pic.twitter.com/FKFuHCxwiU
— Regal (@RegalMovies) April 3, 2023
It was also reported that Johnson would be reprising his role as Maui in the film. With that, it is to be noted that fans should not confuse Moana 2 with Moana Live Action. Meanwhile, The Rock recently revealed why the live-action Moana is more than just another Disney movie to him.
Johnson said that many might not know, but ‘Maui’ was deeper than a character. He added that it represents his culture, which he wears on his chest, his body, and his tattoos. The Hollywood celebrity further said “the character of Maui was inspired from my grandfather, The High Chief, Peter Maivia“.
The Rock added “it’s so much deeper than a movie to me and so much deeper than a movie to Disney as well“. He said he was extremely excited to welcome audiences from all around the globe back to a new adventure. Finally, The People’s Champion stated that the movie will showcase “Unforgettable new adventure, all new crew, all new setting, and all new songs”
Thus, it seems Dwayne Johnson has a special connection with the movie, Moana Live Action. In that regard, it is worth mentioning that the live-action adaptation will be directed by Thomas Kali. Also, Auli’i Carvalho, who played the main character of Moana in the 2016 film, will not reprise her role in the live-action movie.
It is to be noted that Moana Live Action was originally planned to be released in June 2025. However, as of now, it has been delayed and will be released on July 10, 2026. The release date was changed due to the release of the upcoming movie Moana 2.
All you need to know about Moana 2
The 2016 film Moana was made on a budget of $150–175 million. Meanwhile, at the global box office, the movie grossed more than $680 million and became a global hit. With respect to the success of Moana, work on Moana 2 and Moana Live Action began.
Moana 2 is an upcoming animated adventure film directed by David G. Derrick Jr. With that, Auli’i Carvalho will reprise her role as Moana in the sequel. Also, Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role as Maui. It is also worth mentioning that Moana 2 was originally planned to be a television series. However, it was later reworked into a sequel for the 2016 movie.
Meanwhile, fans should know that the upcoming sequel will present Moana getting involved in an adventure, something she has never faced before. With that, fans have been eager to know the release date of the movie. In that regard, it is to be noted that Moana 2 is all set for its release on November 27, 2024.
‘MOANA 2’ is in the works.
The film will release in theaters on November 27.pic.twitter.com/rjiF7fn4e3
— Cartoon Base (@TheCartoonBase) February 7, 2024
At present, the budget for the movie has not been made public. It now remains to be seen if the second instalment of the Moana franchise will be able to topple the first one. Whatever the case, fans will eagerly wait for the release of the highly anticipated movie.
Who was the grandfather of Dwayne Johnson, who inspired the character of ‘Maui’?
Recently, while saying that Moana Live Action is more than just another movie for him, Dwayne Johnson mentioned that the character of ‘Maui’ in the movie is in fact inspired by his grandfather. This statement by The Great One has piqued the interest of the fans. They are eager to know, who was The Rock’s grandfather.
In that regard, it is to be noted that the name of Dwayne Johnson’s grandfather was Peter Maivia, and he was popularly known as The High Chief. Maivia had a multi-talented personality. He was a professional wrestler, stunt coordinator, and actor. Apart from that, he also worked as a promoter.
In addition to that, The High Chief was previously a part of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). In the promotion, he was among the company’s biggest stars. With that, throughout his career, he worked for several wrestling promotions.
Meanwhile, Maivia’s last match took place in February 1982, where he defeated Victor Rivera in a singles bout. Also, it is worth mentioning that throughout his career, The Rock’s grandfather bagged several championships to his name. This includes winning the PWF United States Heavyweight Championship once, the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship two times, and more.
Also, Maivia was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2008. Meanwhile, he is no longer present among us. Previously, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1981. However, it was reported that he ignored the symptoms and also ignored his family’s request to visit a doctor.
This ultimately led to his demise. The High Chief passed away on June 13, 1982, at the young age of 45. However, he has left behind a legacy that will forever be cherished by the fans. Not only that, but many young wrestlers also look up to his remarkable in-ring career.
In addition to that, he carried a personality so mesmerizing that now movie characters are derived from his personality. With that, it remains to be seen if his grandson will open up more about him going forward. Till then, fans will look forward to more updates about The Rock.
Also, The People’s Champion will reportedly be away from the ring for some time. It remains to be seen when he will finally make his return to the largest wrestling promotion in the world. Also, with many interesting projects scheduled in Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson might make an appearance in front of the fans sooner rather than later.