Moana Trailer Reactions: Everyone Is Complaining About Dwayne Johnson’s Live-Action Maui

Photo Credit: Disney

The latest trailer for the live-action Moana movie has everyone talking about Dwayne Johnson’s Maui.

Moana is being released in United States theaters this summer by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Directed by Thomas Kail, the live-action remake of the 2016 animated film stars Catherine Laga’aia as Moana, while Johnson reprises his role from the animated films as Maui.

What are people saying about the Moana trailer?

The newly released trailer for Moana has many people complaining about the visual look of the film. Some are just objecting to there being another seemingly shot-for-shot remake of a Disney movie, in general (the fact that Moana was released only ten years ago, too, certainly isn’t helping), while others who may have been cautiously excited for the film seem to have lost some hope.

More specifically, people are complaining about the look of Johnson’s Maui, with there being comparisons to AI-generated characters. Others are also objecting to his line delivery and drawing similarities to SNL skits.

The complaints don’t stop there, though, as the live-action glimpses Shark Head Maui, and more characters, among other topics of discussion, are also getting some strong reactions.

The synopsis for Moana 2026 reads, “In Disney’s live-action reimagining of the beloved Oscar-nominated animated adventure, Moana (Catherine Lagaʻaia) answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.”

The film is produced by Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Lin-Manuel Miranda, while Kail serves as an executive producer alongside Scott Sheldon, Charles Newirth, and Auliʻi Cravalho, the latter of whom voiced Moana in the animated features Moana and Moana 2.

Moana will be released in United States theaters on July 10, 2026. The original animated movie and its sequel, meanwhile, can currently be streamed on Disney+.

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