The highly anticipated live-action remake of Disney’s animated classic Moana has finally dropped its first trailer. Dwayne Johnson‘s portrayal of Maui has been making waves online, but not entirely for the right reasons. The trailer has sparked a mixed reaction, with some fans expressing disappointment and labelling the look “cringe”.
Fans react to Dwayne Johnson’s Moana live-action Maui look
The first live-action Moana trailer has dropped, showcasing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s striking portrayal of the charismatic demigod Maui. Reactions are pouring in, with some fans eagerly awaiting the film’s release, while others remaining unimpressed.
Johnson reprises his role as Maui in Disney’s live-action Moana, a part he originally played in the animated hits Moana (2016) and Moana 2 (2024). However, Moana herself gets a new voice, with Catherine Laga’aia taking over the role from Auliʻi Cravalho.
Fans aren’t sugarcoating their reactions to the Jumanji actor’s Maui look in the live-action Moana trailer. Many are sharing their unfiltered thoughts on the demigod’s new appearance on Discussing Film’s X (formerly Twitter) post.
“What is this… This ain’t Maui….. this is a cosplay gone wrong. Why does it look so cringe,” tweeted an unimpressed fan. “I don’t know if it’s just me, but the maui isn’t really mauing It’s still good tho,” echoed another. “Nothing beats the original animated ‘Moana’,” commented an ardent fan. Another fan seemed to appreciate the look, saying, “Finally, a live-action remake where they didn’t even need CGI for the muscles. Dwayne was born for this role.”
First announced in April 2023, the cast of the live-action remake of Moana also includes John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala.
Thomas Kail, known for capturing Hamilton’s live-stage recording on Disney+, is directing the live-action Moana. Meanwhile, the screenplay is co-written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, who both worked on Moana 2, with Bush having penned the original Moana film.
With Moana 2’s massive $386 million opening weekend and $1.06 billion global haul, expectations are sky-high for the live-action Moana remake, despite mixed reactions to Johnson’s Maui look. The remake is releasing less than 2 years after Moana 2 and 10 years after the original, adding an extra layer of intrigue to its box office prospects.
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.
