Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will star in the upcoming film Vaiana alongside Catherine Laga’aia, who plays the young adventurer. The movie is set to be released on July 8th in cinemas.
Disney has recently unveiled the second teaser for the movie Vaiana directed by Thomas Kail and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Johnson, known for voicing the demigod Maui in the animated films, will physically embody the character with long brown curly hair. “He has been fundamentally involved, both as a producer and in front of the camera,” explained Thomas Kail to Allociné.
The first images revealed in November showcased the leading actress Catherine Laga’aia as well as the world of the film. “The day she walked into the room in New York for her final audition, I knew she could hold her own against Dwayne Johnson. And that’s no small feat! Their duo works wonderfully,” exclaimed the director who is embarking on his first major Disney adventure. Alongside the two heroes will be John Tui as Chief Tui, Vaiana’s father, Frankie Adams as the mother, and Rena Owen as the wise grandmother Tala.
The film, co-written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, promises to stay true to the animated film. The young Polynesian girl, accompanied by the demigod Maui, embarks on a quest to help her people regain their prosperity, according to the synopsis. For Thomas Kail, the goal was to lean on the “existing strengths” of the original story “while not being afraid to revisit a scene or offer an interpretation that seems right,” explained the director. “I also wondered how to try to make the script as realistic as possible, even though many elements will be created later in post-production.”
When the animated film Moana was released in 2016, it was a critical success and grossed $643 million at the global box office. The film was also nominated for an Oscar in the Best Animated Feature category. “It’s a film that means a lot to me, and I simply hope that we can succeed in offering something as entertaining and enchanting as possible to families around the world,” said Thomas Kail. The film Moana will be released on July 8th in cinemas.
