Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Moana 2!
Moana 2 has been a major success, but the sequel to the 2016 Disney classic highlights a big challenge that Frozen 3 will have to overcome. Walt Disney Animation Studios making sequels to its animated hits is still a fairly new phenomenon, as with the exception of The Rescuers Down Under, sequels were handled by smaller studios up until 2018. Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen 2, and Moana 2‘s successes have proven that this new approach is a popular one, and with more Frozen sequels on the way, Moana 2 can teach the studio a major lesson.
After years of waiting on a follow-up to Moana, 2024’s Moana 2 has finally delivered, with it taking Moana and Maui and putting them in a story that is even more epic. The cast of Moana 2 brings back all of the beloved characters from the original film while also adding in some new additions, shaking things up while maintaining what made the original movie great. Although the sequel hasn’t been as critically beloved as the original film, Moana 2 has been a massive box office success, something that Disney undoubtedly wants to recreate with Frozen 3.
Moana 2 Leans Hard Into The Epic Tone
Going Even Bigger Than The First Movie
Although the narrative of the original Moana was already grand, Moana 2 really leans hard into the epic tone. The entire story of Moana 2 centers around a god’s curse that has affected the entire ocean, with Moana having to step into a leadership position to save it. Much of the movie is focused on Moana finding the most capable crew members from her island, with the jump in the size of the main cast showing how much bigger the film is. On top of that, Moana 2 shows off even more giant monsters, gods, locations, islands, and more.
Related
Will Moana 2 Make $1 Billion At The Box Office? Breaking Down Its Current Total & Future Performance
Moana 2 had a record setting opening weekend at the box office, which suggests that the long-awaited sequel will make well over $1 billion.
One of the most epic things about Moana 2 is that the story isn’t fully wrapped up by the end of the film, clearly leaving things open for a sequel. By the end of the film, all kinds of new wayfinding cultures converge, clearly setting up future stories in the Moana universe. On top of that, the Moana 2 mid-credits scene is the first time that the villainous Talo is seen in the movie. This scene teases a potential villain team-up that could be continued in Moana 3, with the sequel seemingly setting up a grand saga when compared to the original Moana‘s self-contained story.
Frozen 2 Went A Similar Route (But Didn’t Stick The Landing)
It Wasn’t Received As Well As The First Frozen
Moana 2 isn’t the first Disney sequel to go with a more epic route when compared to its predecessor, as Frozen 2 already did something incredibly similar. Compared to the original Frozen, the scale of Frozen 2‘s story is far more grand. Frozen 2 tells a multigenerational story that explores the history of Arendelle, the origins of Elsa’s powers, and even introduces an entirely new tribe known as the Northuldra. Much of the story centers on the conflict between Arendelle and the Northuldra, making Frozen 2 almost a war epic.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
|---|---|
|
Frozen |
89% |
|
Moana |
95% |
|
Frozen 2 |
77% |
|
Moana 2 |
61% |
Although Frozen 2 took some big swings, many fans of the original movie think that the sequel was a miss. Critics and fans alike said that Frozen 2 got bogged down in its lore and exposition, with the simplicity of the original Frozen‘s story suiting the franchise much better. The focus on Elsa’s history meant that Anna, Hans, and the rest of the side characters felt a bit sidelined, and the overreliance on flashbacks took away from the main story. While Frozen 2 had some good elements, it really failed to tie everything together and make viewers care about the lore and exposition.
Frozen 3 & 4 Needs To Go Bigger Than Moana 2
It Could Tell A Two-Part Story
Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 have already been announced, and if they want to succeed, they need to go bigger than Moana 2. Moana 2 was already big, so outdoing it will undoubtedly be difficult for the Frozen team at Disney. However, Frozen 2 already attempted to one-up its predecessor, so if Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 don’t do the same, it will feel like a step backward.
Related
Is Maui Related To Moana? A Moana 2 Moment Suggests So
A pivotal scene in Moana 2 could suggest that Maui and Moana are related, tying the two popular characters together in a deeper way moving forward.
Since Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 are being developed together, there is a lot of speculation that they could tell one overarching story split between two parts. This would easily allow the Frozen sequels to tell a story that is even more grand, doing something that Moana 2 couldn’t do.
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
- Release Date
- November 27, 2024
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
- Cast
- Auli’i Cravalho , Dwayne Johnson , Alan Tudyk , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Nicole Scherzinger , Hualālai Chung , David Fane , Rose Matafeo , Awhimai Fraser , Gerald Ramsey , Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda
- Character(s)
- Moana , Maui , Hei Hei , Tala , Chief Tui , Sina , Moni , Kele , Loto , Matangi , Tautai Vasa , Simea
- Director
- David G. Derrick Jr. , Jason Hand , Dana Ledoux Miller
- Writers
- Dana Ledoux Miller , Jared Bush , Jason Hand , Ron Clements , John Musker
- Studio(s)
- Walt Disney Pictures , Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
