The First Teaser For the ‘Moana’ Remake Is Here

It’s been just nine years since Moana was first released in theaters. However, among recent Disney animated films, only Frozen has become more popular or had a bigger cultural impact over the past 25 years. Because of Moana’s success, Disney is creating both a sequel to the animated film and a live-action version of the original movie at the same time.

Forget about that puzzling ending to Moana 2 (who was that mysterious bat creature?!). Now, you can re-experience the original Moana with a live cast, featuring Dwayne Johnson returning as the voice of Maui.

This first sneak peek at the movie doesn’t show much of Dwayne Johnson’s Maui or Auli’i Cravalho’s Moana. We mostly see Maui from behind, far away, or as a bird created by his magical fishhook. However, you do get a good look at the new Moana, played by Catherine Lagaʻaia. Watch the teaser below!

Thomas Kail, who directed the popular musical Hamilton and its Disney+ film adaptation, helmed the new Moana film. Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for his work on the movie’s incredibly popular songs, also connects Kail to this project. Disney also revealed the first official poster for the remake.

Here is the Moana remake’s official synopsis:

Disney’s live-action version of the popular animated film Moana follows Moana (Catherine Lagaʻaia) as she embarks on a journey beyond her island, Motunui, with the legendary demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson). Together, they work to save her people and bring back prosperity. The film is directed by Thomas Kail, known for his work on Hamilton, and produced by Dwayne Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Auliʻi Cravalho, who originally voiced Moana in the animated movies Moana and Moana 2, serves as an executive producer alongside Thomas Kail, Scott Sheldon, and Charles Newirth.

Moana (the remake) is scheduled to open in theaters on July 10, 2026.

The Best Steven Spielberg-Produced Movies

12. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

As a huge movie fan, I have to say James Mangold did a solid job with the latest Indiana Jones. Apparently, Lucasfilm dropped around $300 million on it – the first one Steven Spielberg didn’t direct! Honestly, from a business standpoint, it felt a little risky. But thematically, it really worked. Seeing Harrison Ford play an older Indy chasing a way to rewind time? Brilliant. Visually, it had to look good for that price tag, and thankfully, it did. And Ford? Still fantastic, even if the de-aging tech was a little weird at times. What really surprised me was the ending – totally unexpected! And they actually gave Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams a genuinely touching and effective arc, which I didn’t see coming after all the criticism he’s gotten. It might not have been a box office smash, but I have a feeling people will really appreciate Dial of Destiny when they watch it at home. It’s a good movie, and I think it’ll hold up over time.

11. Arachnophobia (1990)

Frank Marshall, a long-time producer for Steven Spielberg, made his directorial debut with Arachnophobia, a monster movie that clearly learned from Spielberg’s successes, particularly Jaws. Like Jaws, the film’s creature—a spider—is given human-like intelligence and a malicious personality. The spider actively seeks out trouble, cleverly infiltrating a scientist’s equipment, then a sick man’s tent, deliberately biting him, and even hiding in his coffin for a trip back to the US. (It’s a bit like Dracula, isn’t it?) Once stateside, it travels to a new location and begins breeding rapidly, creating a swarm of equally menacing offspring who terrorize Jeff Daniels and his family.

Some might call this plot ridiculous, and they wouldn’t be wrong. But it’s no more far-fetched than a shark relentlessly pursuing a boat around an island, or dinosaurs figuring out how to open doors, as seen in Jurassic Park. It’s a classic Spielberg trick – and when it works, it’s incredibly entertaining. Arachnophobia definitely delivers on that fun!

10. Men in Black (1997)

Barry Sonnenfeld directed the Men in Black films, but Steven Spielberg was heavily involved as an executive producer and creative force. The movies blended elements of Ghostbusters with Spielberg’s own Indiana Jones and E.T. – everyday people facing strange, supernatural problems, and aliens secretly living among us. Spielberg even makes a cameo appearance, revealing that he’s one of the hidden aliens on Earth – a fitting role considering his blockbuster success.

9. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Joe Dante directed Gremlins, a surprisingly dark film for kids that actually led to the creation of the PG-13 rating. The MPAA needed a middle ground between family-friendly PG movies and more mature R-rated ones. The sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, didn’t cause the same stir. Producer Steven Spielberg and Dante aimed for a much more cartoonish, Looney Tunesstyle experience. They even brought in animation legend Chuck Jones to create new Looney Tunes segments for the film. The Gremlins in the sequel were less scary and a lot sillier – one even parodies the movie Marathon Man*. This playful, chaotic energy extended to the film itself, which included unexpected cameos from figures like wrestler Hulk Hogan and film critic Leonard Maltin, who directly addressed the audience.

8. Flags of our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

As a critic, I’ve always been fascinated by how filmmakers revisit historical events, and Clint Eastwood’s pair of films about Iwo Jima, released after Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, really stuck with me. One film shows us the iconic flag raising from the American soldiers’ point of view, and the other powerfully portrays the Japanese defenders facing certain defeat. Both are solid films on their own, but watching them back-to-back is a truly impactful experience. Eastwood beautifully illustrates that concepts like honor, duty, and sacrifice aren’t limited by national flags – they’re universal human experiences, even in the midst of war.

7. Poltergeist (1982)

There’s a long-standing rumor in Hollywood that Steven Spielberg may have secretly co-directed Poltergeist, though Tobe Hooper is officially credited as the director. While it’s never been definitively proven Spielberg did more than produce, the story persists. Perhaps the rumors are simply a testament to how genuinely frightening Poltergeist is – people assume a director of Spielberg’s talent must have been involved. Of course, Tobe Hooper, known for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, was a skilled director in his own right.

6. True Grit (2010)

Joel and Ethan Coen directed the film. Throughout the 2010s, they frequently worked with Steven Spielberg. They helped write the script for Spielberg’s critically acclaimed spy thriller, Bridge of Spies, and Spielberg produced the Coens’ reimagining of the classic Western True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges in the role that earned him an Academy Award. While True Grit has the distinct style of the Coen brothers, that’s often a sign of a great producer – knowing how to support a director’s unique vision.

5. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Back to the Future Part II imagined the future. Now that we’ve passed the year the film predicted, it could feel old-fashioned. Surprisingly, it feels more nostalgic, offering a charmingly optimistic view of tomorrow. Unfortunately, 2025 doesn’t quite live up to the film’s vision – it’s closer to the bleak future depicted in the original 1985 movie. Still, it’s enjoyable to escape into this fun fantasy, especially considering the current state of the world.

4. First Man (2018)

Damien Chazelle directs First Man, a biopic that sets itself apart from typical portrayals of famous figures. Rather than focusing on surface-level details, the film immerses the audience in Neil Armstrong’s experience, letting them see the world through his eyes. The film’s stunning climax, presented in full-screen IMAX as Armstrong steps onto the Moon, beautifully illustrates his point that space travel fundamentally alters one’s viewpoint – and it does so by visually expanding the screen at that very moment. It’s a truly unforgettable cinematic achievement.

3. The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Directed by Martin Campbell, The Mask of Zorro presents a fantastic take on the classic hero. Anthony Hopkins stars as the aging Don Diego de la Vega, mentoring a young, driven thief (Antonio Banderas) to become his successor. The film, from a Martin Campbell before his work on Casino Royale and writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio before Pirates of the Caribbean, is full of thrilling sword fights, clever lines, and a fantastic connection between Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Like the original Zorro stories that influenced later superheroes, The Mask of Zorro quietly helped pave the way for today’s popular comic book movies. Released in 1998, just a month before Marvel’s Blade, it was a surprising double-hit that caught Hollywood’s attention – it was as if Zorro himself had left his mark on the industry.

2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Robert Zemeckis directed the film. Steven Spielberg has a knack for making surprisingly dark children’s movies. While many kids were scared by films like Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg also produced movies specifically for children that were surprisingly unsettling. Take Who Framed Roger Rabbit, for example, which features a cartoon character being brutally murdered and ends with the heroes celebrating on the villain’s melted remains. Childhood movies used to be a lot more disturbing, and a lot of that was thanks to Spielberg.

1. Back to the Future (1985)

Robert Zemeckis directed this film, which I now confidently call a classic of the 1980s. I’ve seen this firsthand – my children, for whom the 80s feel like a distant past, absolutely loved Back to the Future. They were completely captivated by the film’s brilliant finale. My youngest daughter even exclaimed during George and Lorraine’s kiss, “This is the first time I’ve wanted people to kiss in a movie!” (I was relieved they didn’t ask me about the rather suggestive title on the Hill Valley movie theater marquee: Orgy, American Style).

2025-11-17 21:28