The new trailer for Disney’s live-action Moana is receiving a lot of criticism online. Fans on YouTube are expressing disappointment with the remake, particularly the visual effects and a specific line delivered by Dwayne Johnson as Maui, which many are seeing as a worrying sign.
Disney shared the official trailer for the movie on Tuesday. It will be in theaters on July 10th.
Fans call out Disney’s remake obsession
A big part of the backlash is simple: a lot of fans still don’t want this movie to exist.
The animated movie Moana came out in 2016, and Disney has since released a sequel. Because of this, many people view this live-action adaptation as an unneeded remake rather than a fresh take on the story.
People are expressing their disappointment online. Many are criticizing the new movie, calling it a visually artificial imitation of the original animated film and accusing Disney of relying too much on remakes.
Dwayne Johnson woke dialogue gets called out
A particular moment from the trailer has sparked discussion: Maui initially declares himself the “hero of men,” but immediately amends his statement to include “Women, women too. Men and women!”
Moana responds, “Thank you,” and Maui answers, “You’re welcome.”
Honestly, that scene just felt really unnatural and shoehorned in. It came across like Disney was pushing an agenda where it didn’t fit, and it honestly took me right out of the moment. It didn’t feel organic at all.
Disney sticks with the July release
Despite the backlash, Disney is moving ahead with Moana as one of its major summer releases.
Catherine Laga’aia will play Moana in the upcoming live-action film, and Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui. Thomas Kail is directing, and the movie will be released in theaters on July 10th.
Watch the trailer:
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2026-03-24 23:31