Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is revisiting one of his biggest movie roles. He’s set to lend his voice to Maui again for the upcoming Moana sequel, and he’s shared some new photos of the voice recording session in progress.
On X, Johnson shared a post that included three images of himself recording dialogue at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He also included a picture of his grandfather, who inspired the Maui character. The Rock went on to hype the movie while speaking to its importance when it comes to Polynesian culture. He also teased the new journeys that Moana and Maui will explore in the sequel, eager for fans to watch Moana 2 later this year.
Johnson’s post stated, “Bringing MAUI back to life for MOANA 2! So much fun becoming MAUI again – a character that changed my life in many ways – including the character of MAUI being inspired by my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia. The Polynesian cultural significance of the role and our story has touched families around the world and has easily become one of my truest honors to bring to life and share. New characters, new journeys, new music. Excited for you and your families around the world to join us on this journey. You will feel the mana.”
Dwayne Johnson Will Also Play a Live-Action Maui
Johnson will be bringing Maui to life in more ways than one. Along with the voiceover return in Moana 2, Johnson will be portraying a live-action version of Maui in the remake of Moana that’s in the works at Disney. Because Moana 2 took priority, the live-action remake was recently given a big delay. It was set to be released on June 27, 2025, but that was pushed back to July 10, 2026. Johnson also said earlier this month that the live-action Moana movie would start filming later in 2024.
The first Moana was released in 2016. Auliʻi Cravalho voices Moana while Johnson voices Maui; other cast members included Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk. The movie is set in ancient Polynesia and tells the story of Moana, who’s chosen by the ocean to reunite a goddess with a mystical relic with the help of the demigod Maui. The film earned more than $687 million worldwide and was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature.
Moana 2 will be released in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.