After Disney reconfigured their approach toMoana 2and took a different path,Moana 3is now set to deliver the movie that the sequel was originally meant to be, but it creates one huge challenge for the studio. Disney’s significant restructuring of the project led to manyreviews forMoana 2strongly criticizing the production for failing to live up to the expectations set by its predecessor. Not to mention, the exceptional success of the firstMoanafilm established it as one of Disney’s most successful franchises, which set an extremely high bar for its sequel.
Moana 2was initially set out as an exclusive series to Disney’s streaming service, and it was in production alongsideMoana’s live-action remake, although the series was ultimately reworked for theaters. The absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical contributions led to less than favorable reviews, too. Yet,Moana 2’s box officewasstill incredibly successful, and the movie set the stage for a third installment in the franchise. However,Moana 3will encounter considerable narrative hurdles in concluding the franchise, particularly given the strong desire among fans for a distinct departure from the previous films' story.
Moana 3 Will Be What Disney Would Have Done With Moana 2 Originally
Disney Swiftly Abandoned Its Limited Series Plan For Moana 2
Strangely enough,Moana 2initially had very different plans following its first announcement in December 2020. With Disney+’s launch towards the back end of 2019,Moana 2was set to be a long-form limited series for the streaming service. During this time,the television show was being developed asMoana: The Series, and was slated for development alongsidethe live-actionMoanamovie, which remains in progress. It was understandable why the IP was being adapted for the service, as Disney was heavily promoting its new streaming platform, and streaming one of its most successful IPs would have inevitably encouraged subscriptions.
Disney’s intention was to bring the beloved characters from the big screen and make them accessible to the streaming service, in a comedy series that retained its musical features. The series was designed to pave the way for a theatrical release forMoana 2, meaning the motion picture sequel should have been the third chapter in Moana’s chronicles. However, the revisions toMoana 2meant that it was soon reworked for the big screen. Consequently,Moana 3will now take the mantle of the last entry into its original trilogy— with the live-action remake acting as an entirely separate entity.
Moana 3 Getting The Story Right May Be Trickier Now
Disney May Struggle To Execute Moana’s Conclusion In Moana 3
The fact thatMoana 3will conclude the trilogy carries far greater implications for Disney than if it were simply the second part of a continuing trilogy. Of course,Moana 2has significantly broadened the princess' mythological world, meaning thatMoana 3has a huge task ahead with navigating this expanded universe, while maintaining a sense of coherence in its narrative. The added complexity makes Disney’s storytelling more difficult, especially since providing a satisfying conclusion for Moana will be far more challenging now than it would have been in a second film.
As it stands,Moana 3has not received any official confirmation, although the post-credit scene inMoana 2hints at the film’s production.
That being said, exploring Moana’s transformation into a Demigod in the next film could set the stage for a compelling conclusion in the third installment. However,the success of the third entry into theMoanafranchise hinges on Disney’s execution and the specific circumstances of the third filmin the trilogy. As it stands,Moana 3has not received any official confirmation, althoughthe post-credit scene inMoana 2hints at the film’s production. Disney has a truly daunting undertaking ahead with this story, as the brief clip sets the stage for a team-up between Nalo, the sequel’s villain, and the eccentric crab, Tamatoa.
