Moana 2’s61% onRotten Tomatoesmeans that it was a huge critical disappointment for Disney, but the sequel does set the stage forMoana 3to be better thanks to one big difference. Up until recent years, it was rare forWalt Disney Animation Studios to make a sequel, withRalph Breaks the Internetin 2018 kicking off a trend that has culminated in movies likeFrozen IIandMoana 2. Unfortunately,Moana 2was a major disappointment when compared to its predecessor, althoughMoana 3is avoiding the sequel’s biggest problem.
2016’sMoanais one of the most successful new Disney franchises in decades, with it immediately becoming beloved by fans and critics alike. AfterMoana’s success,Disney immediately began finding ways to expand the franchise. AMoanaTV series for Disney+ was announced, and while it was canceled,Moana 2and a live-actionMoanaremake entered development. AlthoughMoana 3hasn’t been announced yet, it is expected based onMoana 2’s box office success. However, many fans are hoping thatMoana 3’s critical success story is far different from its predecesso r’s.
Moana 2 Suffered Because It Was Originally A TV Show
Before Being Turned Into A Movie
Most fans of the originalMoanaagree thatMoana 2was a disappionting follow-up. Interestingly, this is in large part due to the fact thatMoana 2was originally a TV show. The aformentionedMoanaDisney+ series was in the works for a while, withMoana: The Seriesbeing announced by Disney in 2020 with a 2023 release window.TheMoanaDisney+ show was continually developed for years, with updates on the show being given until 2023. Although very little was known about the series, it semeed like it was going to be releasing soon.
The One Big Reason Moana 2’s Songs Aren’t As Memorable As The First Movie’s
The songs in Moana 2 aren’t bad, but they pale in comparison to the original movie’s iconic soundtrack — and there’s a very simple reason for that.
However, this didn’t end up happening. According to people who worked onMoana 2, Walt Disney Studios informed the team thatMoana: The Seriesneeded to be turned intoMoana 2in January 2024, less than a year before its November 2024 release date. This led to the mad dash to convert the five-episode Disney+ series into a movie that could be released in theaters. Disney officially announced the existence ofMoana 2to the public in February 2024, with the change from the Disney+ series to the theatrical sequel raising some eyebrows.
Unfortunately,Moana 2’s TV series origins can really be felt in the final product. The quality definitely feels like a streaming TV show rather than a proper sequel, and while the animation is nice, it isn’t all that much better than the 2016 movie. On top of that, the middle ofMoana 2feels very episodic, with many fans believing that they can tell where each of the five episodes began and ended. Some parts feel rushed, and the underdevloped side characters inMoana 2’s cast definitely feel like they were ripped straight from a TV show.
Moana 3 Would Have To Be Planned As A Theatrical Movie
Avoiding Moana 2’s Biggest Problem
Moana 2’s streaming origin was the root of most of its problems, but luckily this isn’t something thatMoana 3will have to worry about. The pivot fromMoana: The SeriestoMoana 2came as a result of the financial failures of Disney+. Disney was originally planning on capitalizing on successful properties with Disney+ shows, although the company eventually realized that this wasn’t working out.Some shows were canceled outright, such asTiana, others had their plans altered, like the MCU shows, and others were converted into movies, likeMoana 2.
SinceMoana 2was a massive box office success,Moana 3would undoubtedly be a big-budget theatrical movie from its inception. It would be weird for Disney to cheap out onMoana 3after it saw the success of its predecessor. Plus, Disney has already learned its lesson about large original programming on Disney+. It would be unthinkable for Disney to begin development on anotherMoanashow only to turn it intoMoana 3. Thus,ifMoana 3does happen, it will probably be a show from the very first steps of pre-production.
The Setup For Moana 3 Is Exciting
Based On Moana 2’s Post-Credits Scene
Moana 3may not be officially announced yet, butMoana 2has already created an incredibly exciting set up for the next sequel.Moana 2has a post-credits scene, with it featuring Nalo and Matangi, the villains from the film. The duo, along withMoana’s Tamatoa, join forces, teasing that they will work together in a future story to get revenge on Moana and Maui. Talo’s human form is only seen in this post-credits scene, meaning thatMoana 3is needed to fully explore the character and his partnership with the other villains.
6 Reasons Moana 2’s Reviews Are So Much Worse Than Moana’s & Why It Only Has 61% On Rotten Tomatoes
Moana 2’s reviews suffered in comparison to the original film, with some consistent criticisms giving it a Rotten Tomatoes score 34% lower than Moana.
This isn’t the only exciting story setup fromMoana 2, however. At the end ofMoana 2, Moana nearly dies, with her only being saved by Maui’s magic. Due to her nearly sacrificing her life,Moana is turned into a demigod, with her gaining all kinds of wayfinding powers. Moana was a mere human throughout the first two films, so having aMoana 3story that entirely centers around Moana being a demigod is incredibly exciting. This is only made cooler by the fact that she will have to face off againstMoana 2’s villainous gods.
When Could Moana 3 Actually Happen?
Based On Previous Disney Movies
Moana 3has not been officially announced, meaning that it isn’t confirmed. However, after the success ofMoana 2, it would be werid for Disney not to capitalize on its box office performance.Moana 2in its original form was announced in late 2020 and released in late 2024, meaning that it took roughly four years to release. Based on this,ifMoana 3entered development soon afterMoana 2’s release, the film could release in late 2028.
However,Moana 3’s development may go quickersince it won’t be starting out as a TV show.Frozen IIwas announced in 2015 and released in 2019, although it too was plagued with development troubles. Meanwhile,Ralph Breaks the Internetwas announced in early 2016 and released in late 2019. This means thatMoana 3could end up having a turnaround time of about two and a half years. If this is the case,Moana 3could release in around 2027 at the earliest.
