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The ocean is once again calling to Disney’s first-ever Polynesian princess, and she’s listening. This fall, as part of the 2024 movie release schedule, animation fans will get to see Moana and Maui set sail on a brand new adventure in Moana 2. While there’s a lot we don’t know about the upcoming Disney movie, the voice of the young Wayfinder, Auli’i Cravalho, is opening up about what fans can expect.
In an interview with People, Cravalho talked about what it was like returning to the recording booth and voicing one of the best Disney Princesses nearly eight years after she said goodbye to her:
She’s growing. She is pushing herself now even further beyond the reef. The recording booth is truly my happy place, and [I’m grateful to] come back to this character that I know so well, but also take her on a completely different journey.
Set three years after the original movie, the sequel will follow a more experienced Moana as she teams up with everyone’s favorite demigod and a new group of seafarers in order to follow a call from her ancestors. It’s clear in the record-breaking trailer that this isn’t the same girl we met in the first film in 2016. She’s physically and mentally older, so it makes sense that the writers would want to convey that in the actual journey she’s going on.
As a fan of Cravalho and her other roles, I’m excited to see her return to voice acting in a role she helped shape and originate. It’s been a long time coming too. Fans might remember that in 2020, the House of Mouse announced that the titular Polynesian Princess was going to get her own animated series on Disney+. It wasn’t until earlier this year that the shift to it being a movie was announced.
It’s going to be a bittersweet moment walking into theaters in November, knowing this might be the last time Cravalho is a part of the Moana franchise. While Disney is moving forward with a live-action adaptation, the 23-year-old actress will not be playing the titular role. Instead, she passed the torch to a new young actress named Catherine Laga‘aia with a personal connection to the Polynesian culture showcased in the film.
Like her beloved character, Cravalho is growing and pushing herself to try new things, which is why she had no problem stepping aside for the live-action adaptation. However, knowing Disney’s love (and success rate) when it comes to sequels, there is always a chance that there will be a third film sometime in the future. The one way to ensure that the Mean Girls actress continues to voice the animated Princess is showing up at movie theaters on November 27th.
For now, fans can use their Disney+ subscription to watch Moana. Don’t forget to check out some of Cravalho’s other movies, which are streaming on some of the best streaming services.