Moana

The title is familiar, the premise nearly identical, and the release date — July 8, 2026 — positions it squarely in the heart of a summer movie season that has historically rewarded family-oriented animated features with substantial audiences. But this *Moana*, produced by Walt Disney Pictures alongside Seven Bucks Productions and Flynn Picture Company, is not the 2016 film that introduced the character to global audiences. It is something else — a new production carrying the same name, the same central character, and the same foundational story of a teenage girl from the island of Motunui who answers the ocean's call, ventures beyond the reef for the first time, and sets out alongside the demigod Maui to restore prosperity to her people. Read more…