The Little Mermaid is already proving its box office mettle as the latest successful live-action remake from Disney, but there are more on the way. Not only that, but there are more set on the high seas. Recently, we learned that Dwayne Johnson was spearheading a new live-action Moana, which will also see him return as the demigod Maui. And now we know who the director who will be charged with bringing this recent classic back to the big screen.
According to THR, Thomas Kail will direct the new Moana. Kail is probably best known as the director of Hamilton, the filmed version released to Disney+. He’s also the filmmaker behind the acclaimed Fosse/Verdon miniseries on FX. Musical choreography is the connection between these projects, and now Kail will get to show what he can do in the biggest musical of his career.
Moana centers on a young Polynesian woman who is chosen by the ocean itself to retrieve an ancient relic that will save her island from a deadly blight. In this journey she is joined by the legendary, pec-popping demigod Maui.
Original Moana voice actress Auli‘i Cravalho won’t play the character again, but will return as an exec-producer. Jared Bush wrote the 2016 movie and returns, joined by co-writer Dana Ledoux Miller.
These remakes have been hit-or-miss for Disney, but it seems like Disney really throws everything into the big ones. Moana definitely qualifies in that regard, so expect some high-profile names to be added to the cast soon.
