We’re just a few weeks away from our first chance to set sail on the Polynesian oceans with Disney’s “Moana” when it sails into theaters on November 23rd. We have two exciting new videos to share with you today, each of which provides some new insight into the production that promises to take Disney fans into a new and exciting world.
Up first is a look at the stunning realization of the original song “We Know the Way.” Written and performed by Opetaia Foa‘i and Lin-Manuel Miranda, “We Know the Way” showcases the rich and vibrant voyaging life of Moana’s ancestors.
Part of what makes any Disney animated feature so great is the research that goes into it. Disney’s “Moana” is no exception. In this new behind-the-scenes feature filmmakers, voice talent, songwriters, and key advisors from the Pacific Islands, share the research and collaboration that went into the film, helping to ensure the story celebrates the Pacific Island cultures that so deeply inspired it.
That’s an impressive lineup of talent and it looks like they’re very serious about not just respecting the Polynesian cultures, but also honoring the people who carry on those traditions today.
About Disney’s “Moana”:
For centuries, the greatest sailors in the world masterfully navigated the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, 3,000 years ago, their voyages stopped for a millennium – and no one knows exactly why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people. Inexplicably drawn to the ocean, Moana (voice of Auliʻi Cravalho) convinces the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) to join her mission, and he reluctantly helps her become a wayfinder like her ancestors who sailed before her. Together, they voyage across the open ocean on an action-packed adventure, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills her quest and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.