Story highlights
New Disney heroine: Moana, a navigator from Oceania
Film due to be released in late 2016
Moana is "indomitable, passionate" with "unique connection to the ocean"
Get ready for another addition to the line of Disney heroines: Moana, an ocean adventurer.
“Moana,” a film about a teenage girl in “ancient Oceania,” according to the plot description, is scheduled to make its debut in late 2016.
Moana, who is described as a “born navigator,” sets out on a voyage to seek a mysterious island. Her primary companion is Maui, a demigod, and together they “traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.”
Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “The Princess and the Frog”) are directing.
Disney has always been a place for princesses – a tendency that’s earned them some criticism over the years – but it’s hard to argue with the box office. Last year’s “Frozen” is the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and other Disney classics – including “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella” – have been cash cows for the studio, influencing both popular culture and the bottom line. (More “Frozen” is coming, too.)
“Moana” promises more of the modern version: beautiful, clever and adventurous, said Musker in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Moana is indomitable, passionate and a dreamer with a unique connection to the ocean itself,” he said. “She’s the kind of character we all root for, and we can’t wait to introduce her to audiences.”