Disney’s next adventurous heroine just got a little closer and a little more real, with the official teaser trailer for “Moana” released last night during the Tony awards.
As we previously detailed, “Moana” will tell the story of “a spirited teenage girl and ‘born navigator’ who sets sail in search of a fabled island in the ancient world of Oceania. Along the way, she teams up with a demigod named Maui and encounters mythical creatures and places.”
While this new teaser doesn’t show much of the film’s lead character, Moana, choosing instead to focus on the demi-God Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, the animation does look stunningly beautiful. The rolling sea and colorful sunsets don’t only tease the film but remind us we don’t all live every day in the incredible beauty of Hawaii.
And speaking of the Tonys, “Hamilton” star and Tony nominee Phillipa Soo, who plays Eliza Schuyler in the smash hit, has recently joined the cast of “Moana.” According to Entertainment Weekly, Soo will be playing “a villager of Motunui, Moana’s home island.” She joins “Hamilton” co-star and writer-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has been working on the music for the film.
“Moana” will mark Disney’s first Polynesian lead character. The film hits theaters around Thanksgiving on Nov. 23. Check out the quick teaser below. We hope — and expect — that the full-length trailer will shift the focus to “Moana’s” titular star.
