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Moana is a 2016 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements from a screenplay by Jared Bush. The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho in her feature film debut. Its songs were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, who also composed the score.
Set in ancient Polynesia, the film follows Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a village chief, who is chosen by the ocean to restore a mystical relic to the goddess Te Fiti. When a blight threatens her island, she sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in hopes of saving her people. The screenplay draws inspiration from Polynesian mythology.
Moana premiered at the AFI Fest at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 23. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $687 million worldwide. At the 89th Academy Awards, it received nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for "How Far I'll Go".
The film later became a major streaming success on Disney+, ranking among the most-watched films in the United States during the early 2020s. A sequel, Moana 2, was released in 2024, with a second sequel in the works. A live-action remake was released in 2026.
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