Disney teases Moana

Disney’s Moana is scheduled for a Boxing Day release next year, making it reasonably advanced compared with some of the fare Disney was sharing at its annual fan event.

Promoting Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm titles gives the studio a wide cross-section of filmgoers.

Moana has been on the radar here since Taika Waititi was announced as one of the writers on the project, a credit he currently shares with directors Ron Clements and John Musker, who’ve written and directed animated titles including The Princess and the Frog, Treasure Planet and Hercules.

Although casting for the eponymous lead hasn’t yet been announced, Dwayne Johnson (San Andreas, Fast & Furious franchise) will voice Maui. Music will be by Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, Grammy-winner Mark Mancina and Te Vaka’s Opetaia Foa’i.

Te Vaka performed at the D23 presentation.

The South Island-shot Pete’s Dragon, featuring Karl Urban and with Barrie Osborne among the EPs, will release here 15 September next year.

Other than those titles with NZ connections, Disney announced dates for several titles in the Star Wars franchise and rapidly-expanding Marvel universe.