Walt Disney Animation Studios' 'Moana 2' heading into theaters November 2024

Feb 07, 2024 in "Walt Disney Animation Studios"

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Moana 2

Posted: Wednesday February 7, 2024 4:55pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger announced today that Moana 2, Disney Animation’s all-new feature-length sequel to 2016's Oscar-nominated film, will be released in theaters on November 27, 2024.

"Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise," said Iger. "And we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters this November."

Moana 2

Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, Moana 2 opens in theaters on November 27, 2024.

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DisneyWarrior2712 days ago

A Quiet Place: Day One only had IMAX screens for 5 days. Dont just assume Wicked and Gladiator II will keep their IMAX screens past 5 days.

Disney Irish13 days ago

Why are you privy to the contract, do you know that for a fact? As Wicked moved dates it lost any guaranteed rights to those screens for those dates. And would also have to have a new contract for the new dates. And as Gladiator 2 is opening the same weekend as Wicked and already has its own IMAX release, Wicked would be fighting for the premium formats including IMAX for its opening weekend. If Uni's goal was to lock up IMAX for Wicked they really blundered on that one, they should have kept Wicked Thanksgiving release date. Its also not unusual for a movie to only have one weekend of IMAX screens. Now I'm not saying that Disney is going to have an IMAX release with Moana 2. I'm just saying that with Wicked moving release dates it opens up the possibility.

Tha Realest13 days ago

Five days. They’re not losing their IMAX rights over five days.

Disney Irish13 days ago

Wicked moved as it was originally opening Thanksgiving against Moana 2. Which means its not guaranteed its IMAX screens for Thanksgiving week, allowing Disney to swoop in and take them if they choose.

Miss Rori13 days ago

Which one? Gladiator II and Wicked Part One both open 5 days before Moana 2 and they'll be sharing IMAX screens.

DisneyWarrior2713 days ago

Mmm hmm. All the more reason why Moana 2 may get IMAX screens now.

MisterPenguin13 days ago

A movie that was contracted to be IMAX moved its date. So, theoretically, there's now no movies scheduled for those IMAX screens that week.

Tha Realest13 days ago

IMAX has contracts to set aside their screens for certain films. Between the films currently contracted, there is likely no availability during the release window.

DisneyWarrior2713 days ago

Which is why Moana 2 still has a chance of an IMAX release now.

lazyboy97o22 days ago

That sort of work would be done towards the end of production.

Miss Rori22 days ago

Yeah, I get what you mean. It's just that even if Moana 2 had an in at this late date - like what happened with The Marvels last year when Dune Part Two was pushed back - it would have to be an IMAX-optimized title. My understanding is that all recent Pixar and Disney in-house animated films are optimized for IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 3D, etc. (including the ones that ended up sent straight to streaming), but Moana 2 wasn't intended for theaters from the get go.

Tha Realest22 days ago

Oh it hadn’t occurred to me to think about the resolution / scale issue. I was thinking moreso the jockeying that goes on for IMAX screen access: https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-mission-impossible-battle-imax-screens-1235633537/amp/

Miss Rori22 days ago

I admit I didn't even consider that would be an issue with Moana 2 -- it wasn't intended for theaters or even the Burbank unit, so it's even doubtful it could be optimized for IMAX, Dolby Cinema, etc. in less than a year on top of everything else that has to be changed (3D is another story). At least they'll get their premium screens with Mufasa - The Lion King at the end of December, presumably.

Tha Realest23 days ago

I don’t think it’ll do better at all. But these things are booked out like a year in advance. That doesn’t necessarily exclude Lie-Max (non IMAX) large screen bookings, but IMAX official screens are spoken for. Of course that’s what happens to films that were TV shows a few months ago.