Moana live-action release arrives in Hong Kong on July 9, 2026, with a runtime of about 1 hour 55 minutes and English audio with Chinese subtitles, Disney said in a press release.
The film, directed by Thomas Kail, stars Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga’aia, John Tui, Rena Owen, and Frankie Adams, and continues the animated story of Moana, a Pacific Island teenager called by the ocean to save her people.
Near the ten-year mark since the original animated feature, Disney is adapting the franchise for live action, keeping core story elements while adding new material created specifically for a live-motion format.
Release format and local run
Disney said the Moana live-action release will play in Hong Kong theaters beginning July 9, 2026, with English-language audio and Chinese subtitles. Running time is listed as about 1 hour 55 minutes, the studio said.
Local chains including Emperor Cinemas, MCL, Broadway Circuit, Golden Harvest, Golden Scene, and Cinema City have announced presales and showtimes, the circuits said on their official booking pages.
Cast and creative team
Dwayne Johnson returns to the role of Maui in the live-action film, a part he previously voiced in the animated features, Disney said. Johnson also serves as a producer on the project.
Newcomer Catherine Laga’aia makes her film lead debut as Moana, and the supporting cast includes John Tui as Chief Tui, Rena Owen as Gramma Tala, and Frankie Adams as Sina, according to the studio casting announcement.
Returning collaborators
Thomas Kail directs, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-wrote songs for the animated films, continues to work on music for the live-action project, Disney production notes said. Auli’i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated original, is credited as a producer.
From animation to live action: what changes
The Moana live-action release aims to preserve the original film’s themes while expanding visual and cultural detail through live performances and location shooting, the studio said.
Disney has kept signature elements such as Maui’s magical fishhook, his tattoo motifs, and long hair, and the filmmakers say they worked to balance faithful adaptation with new dramatic layers for the characters.
Filming locations and visual approach
Production notes say principal photography took place in Atlanta, Georgia, and on location in Hawaii, where real coastlines, forests, and island settings were combined with computer-generated imagery to create layered ocean scenes.
Trailers released by Disney show canoe voyages, waves, and village life staged to feel closer to real-world textures while retaining the animated films’ color palette.
Music and soundtrack
The film retains classic songs from the animated features, including “How Far I’ll Go,” and adds new original material written for the live-action adaptation, Disney said in production notes.
Producers say music remains central to Moana’s character arc, and the new soundtrack is expected to be released alongside the film, the studio said.
Why the live-action version matters
The original 2016 Moana was a commercial and awards success, and the franchise has continued to draw audiences: Box Office Mojo lists the 2016 film with roughly $680 million in worldwide gross, and Moana 2 surpassed $1 billion worldwide, Box Office Mojo reported.
Disney is positioning the Moana live-action release as both a continuation and a reinterpretation, aiming to give long-time fans familiar touchpoints while introducing the story to new viewers in a live-action format.
In addition to the lead roles, the studio confirmed that John Tui plays Chief Tui, Rena Owen plays Gramma Tala, and Frankie Adams plays Sina, the cast list on Disney’s site shows.
Tickets for the Moana live-action release in Hong Kong are on sale now through local theater websites and third-party ticketing platforms, the cinemas said. Audiences should check showtimes and subtitle options when booking.
Disney encouraged fans to view the film in theaters to experience the combination of live performance, location cinematography, and musical staging intended for cinematic presentation.
