‘Zootopia 2’ was a hit at the Thanksgiving holiday box office.
The Disney animated sequel earned $156 million across five days.
‘Wicked: For Good’ had a solid second weekend.
Disney has long staked out the five-day Thanksgiving holiday period as prime box office real estate, priming one of its animated movies for release as families are looking for something to watch as part of their celebrations.
And in the case of ‘Zootopia 2,’ the strategy has worked, with the sequel to the 2016 original enjoying a successful first fun, ending up with $156 million for the extended weekend period ($96.8 million from Friday to Sunday).
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That puts it just behind last year’s ‘Moana 2’ (which is still the top Thanksgiving grosser) and ahead of other Disney stablemates such as ‘Frozen II.’
In addition to its domestic haul, the new movie earned good reviews and broke some records overseas.
It scored the top opening day of the year to date for an animated title in key markets, including in France, Germany and Italy, an even more impressive feat considering it isn’t a holiday elsewhere, not to to mention a record-setting $272 million in China at a time when Hollywood is worried about the future of the Chinese market.
The movie ended up with a massive $556 million globally to stand as the fourth-biggest opening weekend in history.
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
(L to R) Bowen Yang is Pfannee, Bronwyn James is Shenshen, and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked For Good’, directed by Jon M. Chu.
‘Wicked: For Good,’ the second part of Jon M. Chu’s ambitious adaptation of the stage musical and Gregory Maguire book that present an alternate look at the storyline from ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ fell 62.2% from its opening weekend, but still put up some impressive numbers.
It crossed the $200 million mark at the domestic box office on Thanksgiving day itself and ended up with a $93 million total at the end of the five-day period, for a $270.4 million total in the States and $393.3 million globally after 10 days on release.
While its reviews and earning power might not have been as rapturous as last year’s first ‘Wicked,’ it’s clearly still enchanting audiences.
Third place went to ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,’ with the latest entry in the magician heist franchise taking $10.1 million across the five days.
In fourth, we find ‘Predator: Badlands’ with $85 million so far domestically since release, ahead of fifth-placed entry ‘The Running Man,’ which truly seems to have run out of steam, ending up with $34 million total in the US so far.
There were few new entries looking to challenge Disney’s dominance of the holiday, but A24 did open whimsical afterlife comedy drama ‘Eternity’ in more than 1,400 theaters, where it took in $5.2 million.
(L to R) Callum Turner and Elizabeth Olsen in ‘Eternity’. Photo: A24.
Disney’s ‘Moana 2’ launched to a huge $221 million over five days.
It’s the biggest five-day opening number in history.
‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ continued to be successful.
Box office tills both here and around the world continued to ring out (well, probably beep in this day and age) with glee as the long Thanksgiving weekend powered to a massive total.
That’s primarily thanks to the new Disney animated movie sequel ‘Moana 2,’ which locked in a new Thanksgiving box office record with $221 million domestically over the five-day holiday frame, obliterating the previous high-water marks set by 2019’s ‘Frozen II’ ($125 million) and 2013’s ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.’ ($109 million).
It’s also the biggest five-day debut in history, overtaking Universal’s 2023 behemoth ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ ($205.6 million).
And Disney will be happy –– the film’s three day tally of $135.5 million registers as the best start for its animation arm, ahead of ‘Frozen II’ (which opened to $130.2 million the weekend prior to Thanksgiving).
Ticket sales for the ‘Moana’ sequel were far above the early estimates of $135 million to $145 million. Worldwide, the movie has made more than $386.3 million, with launches still set for several counties this week.
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Here’s what Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman had to say:
“ ‘Moana 2’ has far surpassed our high expectations this weekend and is a testament to the phenomenon that ‘Moana’ has become. This is a moment to celebrate, and we’re thankful to all the moviegoers and fans who’ve helped make this a record-breaking debut.”
While the movie was seen as something of a gamble –– it originated as a TV series spin-off to the 2016 movie, before being retooled for a theatrical release, that has certainly paid off.
It’s been a good year for Disney, thanks to the successful likes of Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2’ (whose current worldwide box office tally stands at $1.69 billion) and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (now at $1.33 billion globally).
The box office in total did well, surging to more than $400 million this weekend. It’s a much needed boost for an industry that has been struggling to recover from the pandemic in particular.
And that’s also partly thanks to second week and weekends for fellow heavy hitters ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II.’
How is ‘Wicked’ performing in its second weekend at the box office?
(L to R) Ariana Grande is Glinda and Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Wicked’ danced through life to another huge turnout, landing in the No. 2 spot with $80 million over the traditional weekend and $117.5 million over the five-day holiday stretch.
The movie has earned $262.4 million in North America and $359.2 million globally to date.
It already ranks as the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in domestic box office history, ahead of 1978’s ‘Grease’ ($188.62 million), as well as the fourth-biggest worldwide stage-to-screen reimagining behind 2008’s ‘Mamma Mia’ ($611 million), 2012’s ‘Les Misérables’ ($442 million) and, yes ‘Grease’ ($396 million).
There were concerns that the fact it’s part one of two might hurt sales but confirming the split between films ahead of time seems to have reassured viewers. It doesn’t hurt that the movie enjoyed positive reviews and was embraced by a large slice of the moviegoing public.
Universal will need it to stay popular –– the combined two movies come with a $300 million price tag and the company spent untold millions on a worldwide promotional tour with the cast. Still, the blizzard of Oz-related partnership deals will help.
How about ‘Gladiator II’?
(L to R) Pedro Pascal plays General Acacius and Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
‘Gladiator II’ might not be on the same level as either of its box office colleagues, but it’s certainly seeing some hefty rewards.
A sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning 2000 original has been in development almost as long as the first film has been out, but it has taken years for Scott and a cadre of writers to crack the sequel story.
In the end, they chose to follow Lucius, the young man seen in the first film (played there by Spencer Treat Clark) who is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who returns for the sequel).
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The new movie follows a grown Lucius (with rising star Paul Mescal in the role) as he finds himself enslaved by the Roman empire and forced to fight as a gladiator. He’s also drawn into the turbulent politics of Rome via Macrinus, a slave-turned-slave-owning arms dealer, played to scene-stealing effect by Denzel Washington.
Following a $55.5 million domestic opening (slightly behind predictions) the second weekend of release, the sequel took third place with $30.7 million over the traditional weekend and $44 million over the five day frame.
So far, it has grossed $111.2 million domestically and $320 million worldwide.
But, like the other movies, it needs to earn, as it was also massively expensive to make, costing more than $250 million to produce and another $100 million to market to global audiences.
What else happened at the box office this week?
(L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in ‘Red One.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
With the new competition in the market place, ‘Red One’ was shoved down to fourth. Despite opening in the top spot three weeks ago, the Christmas action movie (which also stars Dwayne Johnson) has struggled somewhat.
Its stocking was filled with $12.8 million over the main weekend and $18.7 million over the five-day holiday frame.
The Amazon MGM film has grossed $75 million in North America and $148.7 million globally, which is solid but still probably behind what the company might hope for given the expansive $250 million budget.
Still, the company is partly looking for the movie to drive interest in its Prime Video streaming service.
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Lionsgate’s ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ rounded out the top five with $3.2 million over the traditional weekend and $4.85 million through the extended Thanksgiving period.
The family-friendly faith-based holiday film cost $10 million to make and has grossed $32 million in North America since opening four weeks ago. It won’t exactly set the studio’s heart aflame, but it’s honestly a better result than some of its underperforming releases this year. Looking at you, ‘Borderlands’ ($115 million budget before marketing costs, $32.9 million worldwide to date).
Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledeoux Miller, and David Derrick Jr., the follow-up to 2016’s ‘Moana’ is ready to sail into theaters on November 27, 2024. Auli’i Cravahol and Dwayne Johnson return to voice Moana and Maui once again as they dive into a brand new adventure.
‘Moana 2’ takes the audience on a brand new adventure as Moana and her crew venture into uncharted waters. While the new characters bring some excitement to the sequel, the movie truly shines when Moana and Maui are on screen together, which doesn’t come until later on in the film. The friendship and chemistry between the tattooed demi-god and Wayfinder is truly the glue and heartbeat of the film.
The animation is gorgeous and seems to be even more colorful than the first. It should also mentioned that the representation of the Pacific Islanders is even more so highlighted in this. ‘Moana 2’ starts strong but loses its pacing in the second act. However, the third act brings the excitement right back, with quite a few heartfelt and emotional moments.
The movie opens with Moana exploring an unknown island, searching for any traces of life, past or present. With her trusty, but not exactly helpful, animal sidekicks Pua and Heihei by her side, Moana stumbles upon a partially broken pottery with a motif depicting people next to a mountain – eluding that there are other inhabited islands out there.
As Moana sails home with her new discovery, she’s welcomed back by her village with open arms. This is where the film introduces Moana’s little sister Simea. Though there is a pretty large age gap between Moana and Simea, the two have an extremely close-knit relationship.
That evening, Moana is to receive her title as Chief, but the ceremony is interrupted by a powerful lightning that nearly strikes Moana, sending her a vision from her ancestor, Matai Vasa. She sees her ancestors looking for Motufetu – the island that was depicted on the pottery she found. The vision also shows Moana what will happen if she fails to find Motufetu, her own island will meet its demise.
The vision also tells Moana that Motufetu once had channels that connected people across the ocean, but the Storm God Nalo wanted more power and put a curse upon the island, therefore separating the people of the ocean. To break the curse, Moana must travel beyond the waters that she knows and find Motufetu.
In the meantime, Maui is seen standing in front of a purple portal, as he mentions that the powerful Storm God Nalo has started something sinister. Maui is interrupted by Matangi – a mysterious figure who is shrouded in shadow and bats. Turns out that Matangi works for Storm God Nola and will do anything to prevent Maui or anyone else from reaching Motufetu to break Nalo’s curse.
From there, the adventure kicks off as Moana and her crew – Kele, Moni, and Loto, sail across the ocean in search of Motufetu. On the way, they encounter several ferocious sea monsters and the fearsome Kakamora. The stakes feel even higher for Moana this time around as the film explores the close relationship between Moana and Simea. The little sister has a hard time seeing Moana leave, not knowing when she’ll return. Moana shows Simea that they are always connected by the ocean, no matter how far apart they may be.
As for Moana and her crew, while they prove to be helpful in the journey to Motufetu, there is little emotional attachment to these characters. Moni seems to be the most highlighted out of the group as he is a self-proclaimed Maui superfan, which became a hilarious running gag throughout the movie. Kele has a bit of a character arc as he sheds a little of his initial grumpy persona towards the end. Loto, as brilliant of an engineer as she was, was not given more to do other than making improvements on their boat.
The same can be said about the villain, who has incredible character design and animation (and a really awesome song) but falls flat. Matangi is initially presented as a dangerous and powerful adversary to Maui and Moana but is barely used to her full potential.
The film was at its strongest when Moana and Maui shared the screen during an action-filled third act. Despite showing the close connection between Moana and Simea earlier, it is really the friendship between Moana and Maui that’ll give you a lump in your throat.
‘Moana 2’ is a fun sequel and has gorgeous animation. It clearly shows Moana’s growth since the last movie. She is comfortable in her skin and is on her way to becoming a capable leader to her people. This new adventure puts difficult challenges before her that’ll make her question her abilities but will also see her find her footing in unfamiliar situations. The movie has a strong first and third act but loses steam in the second act due to little character development between Moana and her crew, and it felt like there were pieces of story or scenes missing.
How Do the Songs of ‘Moana 2’ Compare To the First?
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are tapped to pen new songs for ‘Moana 2’, with composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina also returning. Songs like ‘Beyond’ and “Get Lost” were the two most memorable, with “Can I Get A Chee Hoo” and “We’re Back” being a close second. As much as the new songs have the flavor from the first film, it doesn’t quite capture the magic that was created by Lin Manuel-Miranda.
A fun sequel to the 2016 film. It’s great to see Moana’s story continue and to see the representation of the Pacific Islanders’ culture on screen. The film starts off strong by building up the anticipation for the journey to Motufetu. However, it loses its footing in the second act, and aside from the excitement of seeing the army of Kakamora and the sea monsters, it felt much to be desired. Moni, Kele, and Loto’s characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, and at times, it felt like too much was cut out of a scene to meet the 1 hour and 40 minutes run time.
The movie does regain momentum in the final act, where Moana and Maui share the most screen time. The friendship and chemistry between the two is unmatched. This movie is a great way to continue Moana’s journey. It shows there are more stories to be told and places to explore. With that said, make sure you stay all the way through the credits for an extra surprise.
‘Moana 2’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Moana 2’?
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters..
(Left) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures. (Right) Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
‘Wicked’ has proved to be a record-breaking opening for a musical.
‘Gladiator II’ was also successful.
The box office total was up compared to last year.
Studios and theater owners had something to be very thankful for this weekend, as both ‘Gladiator II’ and ‘Wicked’ stormed to big wins –– record-breaking success in the musical movie’s case –– at the box office ahead of the holiday.
Universal has, of course blanketed media with ‘Wicked’ promotions and there is enough merchandising out there to fill the courtyard of Shiz university.
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‘Gladiator II,’ meanwhile, saw Paramount rolling out giant ads and, in a move that has clearly paid off, chose to open the historical epic sequel a week earlier in some international markets, getting a jump on the competition.
It might not quite be the same phenomenon as “Barbenheimer” from last year (when ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ opened big together, but whatever portmanteau sticks –– “Glicked,” perhaps, or “Wickiator”? –– it’s still good news.
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How did ‘Wicked’ perform at the box office?
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Unlike the ‘Gladiator follow-up, ‘Wicked’ launched this week globally as well as domestically, and it has seen solid totals both here and elsewhere.
There were concerns that the fact it’s part one of two might hurt sales but confirming the split between films ahead of time seems to have reassured viewers. It doesn’t hurt that the movie enjoyed positive reviews and was embraced by a large slice of the moviegoing public.
How the story as a whole works remains to be seen –– ‘Part 2′ isn’t due until next November, but based on the reception for the first, the second looks set to be a success too.
The movie musical adapted from the hugely successful stage show earned $114 million in the US, which is the third-biggest movie debut in total this year (behind ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and ‘Inside Out 2.’) It is also the biggest domestic opening ever for a movie based on a Broadway production, overtaking the likes of ‘The Color Purple.’
Overseas, the response was a little more muted, with $50 million, but that $164.2 million global launch secured the largest opening for a Broadway-based movie, supplanting 2012’s ‘Les Misérables,’ which launched to $103 million.
Ticket sales for ‘Wicked’ rank as the fifth-biggest worldwide debut in history for a musical, ahead of Disney’s 2023 ‘The Little Mermaid’ reimagining ($163.6 million) and behind 2019’s ‘The Lion King’ ($446 million), 2017’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ remake ($358 million), 2019’s ‘Frozen 2’ ($358 million ) and 2019’s ‘Aladdin’ ($213 million).
So while the witches of Oz can’t quite compare to the Mouse House, at least this result might make studios actually put the music of their, er, musicals in trailers going forward (no, we’re not holding our breath either.)
And the movie still has a few key markets left to open, including France, China and Japan.
Universal will need it to stay popular –– the combined two movies come with a $300 million price tag and the company spent untold millions on a worldwide promotional tour with the cast. Still, the blizzard of Oz-related partnership deals will help.
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
As with ‘Wicked,’ the new ‘Gladiator’ outing had a solid base from which to build, but also some big sandals to fill.
Ridley Scott’s 2000 original was a big smash, earning nearly half a billion dollars globally (a big figure in 2000 terms) and winning five Oscars, including Best Picture.
A sequel has been in development almost as long as the original has been out, but it has taken years for Scott and a cadre of writers to crack the sequel story.
In the end, they chose to follow Lucius, the young man seen in the first film (played there by Spencer Treat Clark) who is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who returns for the sequel).
(L to R) Connie Nielsen plays Lucilla and Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
The new movie follows a grown Lucius (with rising star Paul Mescal in the role) as he finds himself enslaved by the Roman empire and forced to fight as a gladiator. He’s also drawn into the turbulent politics of Rome via Macrinus, a slave-turned-slave-owning arms dealer, played to scene-stealing effect by Denzel Washington.
‘Gladiator II’ opened to $55.5 million domestically (slightly behind predictions) and added $50.5 million to its overseas total.
As mentioned, it had already launched overseas, and currently stands at $165.5 million from territories outside the US, and $221 million globally.
Which is a fine start for the movie, and Paramount will be hoping it stays strong at the box office. It skews more male and older than ‘Wicked’ or the family-friendlier titles on the way (see below for the heavy hitter headed to screens), but with a $250 million-plus budget (and around $100 million in promotional costs), it’ll be battling its way to profit.
Disney is looking to enter the fray this Thanksgiving week with its latest sequel to a big movie –– ‘Moana 2,’ which the studio birthed from the planned animated series follow-up to the 2016 hit, will be on screens on November 27th, looking to attract the family crowds in search of something for the kids to watch during the hectic holidays.
With Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho returning as Maui and Moana, the studio will be hoping for another successful launch, though we’d doubt that it’ll hit the heights of, say, ‘Inside Out 2’ from earlier this year.
Ariana Granda is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Other Movies and TV Shows Based on the ‘Wizard of Oz’:
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming sequel ‘Moana 2’ will see the journey of Moana and her newfound crew of seafarers as they venture into uncharted waters after receiving an unexpected message from her ancestors.
During the long lead day presentation at the Walt Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California. Moviefone, along with a group of journalists, got a closer look at what it takes to create the sights and sounds of ‘Moana 2’, including presentations on character animation, foley, music, recording booth sessions, and more.
Following the popularity of songs like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome”, the filmmakers knew it was vital to find the right songwriters and composers for the sequel. They enlisted the help of Grammy Award-winning songwriting duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (known as Barlow & Bear) to tell the story of Moana through music. Composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina also returns for the sequel.
Director David Derrick Jr. talks about meeting with the duo for the first time:
David Derrick Jr: “We actually had a piano in our story room, and they came in, and they would play “We’re Back,” the opening song for us, that was the first song that they wrote for the film. To hear that song and to actually be transported back into the world of Moana in a musical way was so exciting.”
Director Dana Ledeoux Miller talks about how the songwriters’ own life experience mirrors what Moana experiences in the movie:
Dana Ledeoux Miller: “Moana is growing up and she’s learning that there are consequences to her actions and that the choices she makes actually affect other people. (Barlow and Bear) were like, “Yeah, we’re living that right now, we got it. So you know, there’s a shorthand that just comes from their experience in it, but they’re also huge musical fans, and they understood what this needed.”
(L to R) Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
The duo performed a song from the new film before sharing their own sentiment on how close and connected they felt to Moana’s growth and journey:
Emily Bear: “She’s a young woman trying to find her way in the world, and we were weirdly going through a lot of similar struggles ourselves, so it was easy to imagine ourselves in her shoes. I mean, we’re not fighting lava monsters, but it’s the core of the issues we felt so connected to.”
In terms of Barlow and Bear’s approach and process for writing new songs for ‘Moana 2’, the pair talk about the motivation and reason why a song would start in the movie and how it should feel intentional. That when words alone are no longer enough, the music takes over to carry the message through.
Emily Bear: “Our last nightmare is a “Stop, drop, and sing”. There has to be a reason why you’re singing. It needs to be a moment when words are no longer enough, and music needs to carry the message through. We worked really closely with the filmmakers and they prioritized that – which is amazing because sometimes that’s not the case. We all worked together to make sure the musical moments felt really earned, and there was a reason and intent behind every song.”
The pair speaks about the fun they had with creating new songs for ‘Moana 2’, where each song they wrote was a different storytelling process, “I felt like I grew as a songwriter just by sheer nature of the process,” said Barlow.
The Oceanic Cultural Trust also helped the duo with the songwriting process and research, as well as working closely with composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina.
Abigail Barlow: “We wanted to keep it rooted in the Moana world while also bringing our songwriting style to it. We also worked with Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina, and they lived in this world for so long. They’re just magical.”
The song list for ‘Moana 2’ includes:
“Tulou Tagaloa (Sei e Va’ai Mai)” Performd by Olivia Fao’i, Te Vaka
“We’re Back” Performed by Auli’i Cravalho and cast
“Tuputupu (The Feast)” Performed by Te Vaka
“Beyond” Performed by Auli’i Cravalho
“My Wish For You (Innocent Warrior)” Performed by Olivia Fao’i, Sulata Foa’i-Amiatu, Matatia Foa’i, Matthew Ineleo, Opetaia Foa’i
“Finding the Way” Performed by Olivia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
“What Could Be Better Than This?” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane
“Get Lost” Performed by Awhimai Fraser
“Can I Get A Chee Hoo?” Performed by Dwayne Johnson
“Mana Vavau” Performed by Dwayne Johnson, Opetaia Foa‘i, Rachel House
“Beyond (Reprise)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho
“Nuku O Kaiga” Performed by Te Vaka
“Finding The Way (Reprise)” Performed by Te Vaka
“We Know The Way (Te Fenua te Malie)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho, Olivia Foa‘i, Opetaia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
“Beyond (End Credit Version)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho
“We’re Back (Te Vaka Version)” Performed by Olivia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
During the long lead day at the Walt Disney Animation Building, journalists were invited to various presentations involved in the making of the movie – from character animation, to foley, to voice recording and ADR. Typically, when an actor first steps into the booth at the beginning of the recording process, there is no animation for them to watch and follow. The actors solely rely on the script and the directions of the filmmakers. Once the voice recording is complete, the animators begin their work based off the recorded audio and performance of the actors. Once animation is finished, there will be an ADR (automated dialogue replacement) session which often deals with small changes to the script or leaning further into a certain emotion for the scene.
Star Hualālai Chung (voice of Moni) steped back into the recording booth to help coach the journalists through the technicalities of ADR and breakdown the emotions of scene. The scene used for this particular presentation is when Moana and her crew encounters the Kakamori – a group of small but ruthless pirates with coconut armors.
During ADR, there are a series of beeps that play along with the scene to cue the actors in on when they can start their lines. The actors then try to match the animated scene as much as possible. The sound engineers will go through various takes to find the one that best fits the intension and emotion for the scene. However, ADR isn’t just for re-recording a line in a scene. Actors will also record “efforts”, which is acting out certain actions like running and jumping with grunts and sounds. Inside the booth is a “efforts bar” that is used to help specifically with this portion of ADR.
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What Is the Plot of ‘Moana 2’?
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters.
The upcoming Walt Disney animated feature ‘Moana 2’ will be in theaters on November 27, 2024. Moviefone was invited to the Walt Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California, along with a group of journalists to preview the first 25 minutes of the film and see just how far the animators will go to continue Moana’s story.
Moviefone had the pleasure of screening the first 25 minutes of ‘Moana 2’, presented by directors Dana Ledoux Miller, David Derrick Jr., and Jason Hand.
Derrick, who is of Samoan heritage, spoke of his time on the 2016 film and discovering Moana’s history and heritage:
“Working on the first film was an absolute gift. Continuing her story has been one of the true honors of my career.”
Ahead of viewing the footage, the directors spoke of the new characters who are introduced in this movie. Aside from returning talents such as Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, ‘Moana 2’ boasts a slew of new characters, including a band of adventuring seafarers who will accompany Moana on her journey, as well as her little sister, Simea.
The crew includes Kele, a farmer whose character is based on real-life farmers who took part in voyages. Loto, an engineer who proves to be Moana’s right-hand woman. Finally, Moni, the inspirational storyteller and a Maui superfan, rounds out the group. Each one of them proves to be an essential part of Moana’s adventure.
The footage begins with Moana running and parkouring on an unknown island, seemingly being chased. As she clears a a cliff, it is revealed that it is Pua who was running after her. “You wanted to come this time,” said Moana to Pua, eluding to how the adorable pot-belly pig missed out on the action in the previous film. As Moana approaches the peak of the mountain, she blows into a shell to alert her presence – and listens for a call back – but no one answers. The island is uninhabited. As Moana and Pua begin to make their way off the peak, they take a tumble where Moana discovers a piece of broken pottery with a motif depicting people next to a mountain – a sign that people once lived on this island.
Sailing home with her new discovery, Moana breaks into a song about how she’s “Back Where We’re Meant To Be.” The music continues as she sails onto her home island. It is also used as an instrument to introduce the audience to Kele, Loto, and Moni. Breaking through the crowd, Moana’s little sister Simea runs to welcome back her sister. Later, Moana and Simea visit the ancestors’ cave, sharing a sweet moment much like the one shared between Moana and Grandma Tala.
In the next scene, Maui mentions that the powerful Storm God Nalo has started something, as he is seen standing in front of a large portal. We’re introduced to the mysterious Matangi, who works for Nalo. She’s not seen quite clearly in the footage as she’s shrouded in darkness and bats.
Back on the island, the village is in celebration mode as Moana is about to receive the title of Chief. Before the ceremony can finish, lightning strikes through the roof, launching Moana into the side of the hut. She received a vision about a “fire in the sky” that would guide her to the mysterious island depicted on the pottery she had discovered earlier – Motufetu. The island has the power to connect all the people of the sea, but Moana must break the curse placed by Nalo, who wanted to separate the people to weaken the sea.
A comet appears in the sky, one that Moana must follow to find Motufetu. The song “What Lies Beyond” begins as Moana prepares for her journey. It also conveys the sadness she feels about leaving her family and little sister behind. You can catch a glimpse of Grandma Tala in this song as well. Moana explains her mission to her village and chooses her crew – Kele the farmer, Loto the engineer, and Moni the storyteller. Before she sets sail, she shares an emotional moment with Simea, who gives Moana a tiny starfish to keep inside her necklace “so you can take a piece from home.”
Moana debuts a brand new outfit for her journey as the village sends her off with a chant.
The story returns to Maui, who has been caught and bound by a new and mysterious villain. Without his hook, he’s unable to use his powers and pleads with a group of sucker fish to retrieve his hook, to no avail. Mini tattoo Maui gestures that they should call Moana for help.
Finishing off the footage presentation, we see Moana and her crew encounter the fearsome Kakamora, and later on, a giant sea monster as big as an island, with multiple rows of teeth and eyes.
Aside from Moana and Maui, other fan favorites like Hei Hei and Pua are returning for the sequel, as well as Moana’s parents, Chief Tui and Sina. The small yet fierce coconut-like pirates Kakamora will also return.
Director Jason Hand said the following about working with Cravalho:
“There’s a quality that she alone brings to this character—Auli‘i is a leader, she’s kind, she’s funny —she really cares deeply for this character.”
On the dynamic between Moana and Maui, director David Derrick Jr. said:
“We love these two characters together—they make each other better.”
He went on to explain the growth the Demi-god has since the 2016 film:
“Maui has evolved—he’s grown and changed. But he’s still the same Maui that we love. He sets out to defeat this terrible curse all by himself—which is very Maui of him. But we all know that Maui and Moana will have better luck if they team up. It’ll take Maui’s strength and bravery—he can lasso the sun and lift up an island—along with Moana’s selflessness and empathy to unite the people of the ocean.”
New characters include the aforementioned seafarers Kele, Loto, and Moni, Moana’s little sister Simea, Kotu, the Kakamora warrior, the mysterious Matangi, and the fearsome storm god Nalo.
The Music of ‘Moana 2’
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
For the sequel, Disney called upon Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear to create new music for ‘Moana 2’. Barlow and Bear received the Best Musical Theater Album award at the 2022 Grammy’s for their work on ‘The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.’
Producer Yvette Merino said that the writing duo hit the ground running, and by the time they had the meeting, Barlow and Bear were ready with a song:
“We listened to what became our opening song, ‘We’re Back.’ It takes you right back into Moana’s world.”
Opetaia Foa‘i. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancino will also be a part of the musical sound of ‘Moana 2’ and Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, who worked on the 2016 movie.
Director Dana Ledoux Miller talked about working closely with Barlow and Bear and how the music will be a tool to convey Moana’s growth and journey:
“I’m like, ‘well, so Moana is growing up and she’s learning that there are consequences to her actions and that the choices she makes actually affect other people.’They’re like, yeah, yeah, we’re living that right now, we got it. So, you know, there’s a shorthand that just comes from their experience in it, but they’re also huge musical fans, and they understood what this needed. With the help of Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i, they’ve really been intentional about making sure the music in this film speaks the language of the music in the first film. It’s very much an immersive experience when you watch that first film. We were intentional about making sure we weren’t reinventing that wheel, but we were expanding on it.”
What Else Did We Learn About Moana 2?
‘Moana 2’ co-director Dana Ledoux Miller. Photo by Evan Mulling.
Following the footage presentation, directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller held a press conference with journalists.
During the Q&A, Ledoux Miller talked about ‘Moana 2’ being her first animated film and how much she sees her culture represented on screen:
“I was a huge fan of the first time. I very distinctly remember sitting in the theater. The lights come out, and over the bumper, the first sounds, the first voices are Samoan. I realized in that moment, this film, which ended up becoming one of the biggest Disney properties ever, that that film would forever change the way people saw Pacific Islanders.”
Ledoux Miller was hired to co-write the live-action ‘Moana’ with Jared Bush and was brought onto the sequel to direct alongside Derrick Jr. and Hand.
David Derrick Jr, who is also of Samoan heritage, talked about his excitement to continue Moana’s story:
“When we were asked to come back and continue her story, I was so thrilled because I believe I felt like Moana when she entered that cavern of the Wayfinder. I have Samoan heritage, I’m very proud of it, but I didn’t understand the depths of it. It was the navigators of the Pacific Ocean who found the last discoverable land on earth. They were able to navigate from, you know, Rapa Nui all the way to Aotearoa, all the way to Hawaii. It’s one-third of the earth. These islands are spread out like tiny jewels across a vast ocean that doesn’t divide. It connects. Going forward with this story, we really wanted to show how far the people of the Pacific would go. So for me, I love celebrating that culture, and I hope everyone sees that and appreciates that.”
The film will also cover personal relationships, such as the one Moana has with her little sister Simea – a name inspired by an ancestor of Derrick’s. This storyline was inspired by the director’s personal life.
“My eldest daughter is 21 years old, and her name is Samea, and she’s 21. We have a little son, and his name is Quentin. He’s seven years old. The two of them are the closest siblings I’ve ever seen. During COVID, he would sleep in her bed; they’d go camping together. They’re kindred spirits. There was a very difficult moment when he realized she was going to college and not coming back home. That this pillar of joy in his life was suddenly not always gonna be there.”
Derrick Jr. also discussed the themes of growing up and taking on responsibility:
“Those moments when you’re forced to grow up in certain ways. We wanted to show a maturity to Moana. We wanted to show that she could be even more invested and connected to her people and to her Island. I love that we gave her a sister to show that connection and show that love.”
Director Jason Hand said that they aim to stay true to the first film while moving forward to the next chapter.
“There’s something left to be done in her story. I think that was the kernel of this idea, this idea of connection. But through that, her own personal growth, she still has somewhere to grow. She’s still a young person who’s growing up and finding out more about herself. That’s the kind of stuff that energizes the story, but it also energizes the storytelling through the songs because you can sing about things that are personally in your own life. So a song like “Beyond” that you heard earlier is from Moana’s personal journey that’s starting to change. She’s starting to grow. That’s a really powerful place.”
Ledoux Miller added:
“The first film was about Moana reconnecting to the past and who her people were meant to be. This film is really about Moana looking towards the future.”
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What is the plot of ‘Moana 2?’
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming from September to December of 2024, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.
Emotions run high when three estranged sisters (Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon and Elizabeth Olsen) reunite in a cramped New York City apartment to watch over their ailing father during his final days.
A former Marine (Aaron Pierre) confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin’s bail.
(L to R) Peter Dinklage in ‘The Thicket’. Photo: Samuel Goldwyn Films.
An innocent young man, Jack (Levon Hawke), goes on an epic quest to rescue his sister Lula (Esme Creed-Miles) after she has been kidnapped by the violent killer Cut Throat Bill (Juliette Lewis) and her gang. To save her, Jack enlists the help of a crafty bounty hunter named Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage), a grave-digging alcoholic son of an ex-slave (Gbenga Akinnagbe), and a street-smart prostitute (Leslie Grace). The gang tracks Cut Throat Bill into the deadly no-man’s land known as The Big Thicket — a place where blood and chaos reign.
A girl (Nadine Crocker) suffering from depression is forced to get her life together when she is taken involuntarily to a mental institution after trying to follow in her fathers footsteps, but failing in her suicide attempt. She finds unlikely friends, unwavering love, and a life she never imagined possible for a girl like her. All to find out some decisions can’t be undone.
(L to R) Kayli Carter, Edie Falco, and Jeannie Berlin in ‘I’ll Be Right There.’ Photo: Brainstorm Media.
Wanda (Edie Falco), a single mother with a pregnant daughter (Kayli Carter), a wayward son, a mother (Jeannie Berlin) who believes is dying. Barely having time for herself and living to take care of her family but everyone around her doesn’t seem to accept it, why isn’t that enough?
Everything goes to hell for newly-pregnant Belinda (Brandy Norwood) after her mother-in-law moves in. As the diabolical guest tries to get her claws on the child, Belinda must draw the line somewhere…
Dave Bautista in ‘The Killer’s Game’. Photo: Lionsgate.
In the new action-comedy ‘The Killer’s Game’, when top hitman Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella) , he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late.
James McAvoy in ‘Speak No Evil.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
When an American family (Scott McNairy and Mackenzie Davis) is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British (James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi) family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.
(L to R) Reed Northrup, Nicholas Cirillo and Austin Zajur in director Kevin Smith’s ‘The 4:30 Movie’. Photo: Saban Films.
Writer-director Kevin Smith presents his most personal film to date with this coming-of-age story — set in the summer of 1986 — that follows three sixteen-year-old friends who spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local cineplex. When one of the guys invites the girl of his dreams to see an R-rated film, all hilarity breaks loose, as a self-important theater manager (Ken Jeong) and teen rivalries interfere with his best-laid plans.
(L to R) Megan Fox as “Alice” in the Sci-Fi/Thriller, ‘Subservience’, an XYZ Films release. Photo courtesy of XYZ Films.
Megan Fox stars as Alice, a lifelike artificially intelligent android, who has the ability to take care of any family and home. Looking for help with the housework, a struggling father (Michele Morrone) purchases Alice after his wife becomes sick. Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything her new family has to offer, starting with the affection of her owner – and she’ll kill to get it.
Director Susanna Fogel’s ‘Winner’. Photo: Vertical.
Winner is a brilliant young misfit from Texas who finds her morals challenged while serving in the U.S. Air Force and working as an NSA contractor. A fresh take on the traditional whistleblower thriller, the coming-of-age story follows an idealistic young woman persecuted for standing by her principles.
Transformers One is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Halle Berry as Momma in ‘Never Let Go’. Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher.
In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Oscar-winner Halle Berry, and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
(L to R) Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri in ‘Omni Loop’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Diagnosed with a black hole growing inside her chest and stuck in a loop reliving the last five days of her life, a 55-year-old wife and mother (Mary-Louise Parker) from Miami, Florida decides to solve time travel in order to go back and be the person she always intended to be.
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
A professional fixer (George Clooney) is hired to cover up a high profile crime. But when a second fixer (Brad Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.
Frank Grillo, Robert Patrick and Rhona Mitra star in ‘Hounds of War’ about the best military mercenaries money can buy. Known as ‘The Hounds’, they are sent on a final mission by their creator: a carefully planned trap set up to destroy them.
Never-before-seen home movies and extraordinary personal archives reveal how Christopher Reeve went from unknown actor to iconic movie star as the ultimate screen superhero. He learned the true meaning of heroism as an activist after suffering a tragic accident that left him quadriplegic and dependent on a ventilator to breathe.
(L to R) Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Genius artist Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
(from back center) Roz (Lupita N’yongo), and Brightbill (Kit Connor) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Wild Robot,’ directed by Chris Sanders.
A robot — ROZZUM unit 7134 (Lupita Nyong’o), “Roz” for short — is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
Kate Winslet ‘Lee’. Photo: Roadside Attractions & Vertical.
Miller (Kate Winslet) had a profound understanding and empathy for women and the voiceless victims of war. Her images display both the fragility and ferocity of the human experience. Above all, the film shows how Miller lived her life at full throttle in pursuit of truth, for which she paid a huge personal price, forcing her to confront a traumatic and deeply buried secret from her childhood.
Director Thordur Palsson’s ‘The Damned’. Photo: Vertical.
A 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
Sam Claflin as Patrick McKee in ‘Bagman’. Photo Credit: Vladislav Lepoev.
In the dark horror film ‘Bagman’, a family finds themselves ensnared in a nightmare as they are hunted by a malevolent, mythical creature. For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag—never to be seen again. Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick’s childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and son Jake (Caréll Rhoden).
Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
A young mother in 1930s Oklahoma who is haunted by her past and trapped in horrifying dust storms. She becomes convinced that her family is threatened by a mysterious presence and takes extraordinary measures to protect them.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker and Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.
(L to R) Adam David Thompson as “Joseph” and Riley Dandy as “Sidney” in the Sci-Fi/Thriller, ‘Things Will Be Different’, a Magnet release. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
In order to escape the police after a robbery, two estranged siblings lay low in a metaphysical farmhouse that hides them away in a different time. There they reckon with a mysterious force that pushes their familial bonds to unnatural breaking points.
(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live‘.
(L to R) Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in ‘We Live in Time’. Photo: A24.
Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.
Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) unleashes chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.
Heather Graham in ‘Chosen Family’. Photo: Bleeker Street.
Ann (Heather Graham) is a yoga teacher struggling to achieve inner peace despite the fact her family is driving her crazy and her dating life is miserable. She doesn’t know how to say no and wants to fix everyone’s problems.
‘Piece By Piece’ is a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds.
Naomi Scott stars in Paramount Pictures Presents a Temple Hill Production of a Parker Finn Film ‘Smile 2’.
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
Mikey Madison as Ani in ‘Anora’. Courtesy of Neon.
Anora (Mikey Madison), a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
(L to R) André Holland and Andra Day in ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
Utilizing his paintings to find freedom from his past, a Black artist on the path to success is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father, a recovering addict desperate to reconcile. Together, they learn that forgetting might be a greater challenge than forgiving.
(L to R) Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher in ‘Bookworm’. Photo: Rialto Distribution.
Eleven-year-old Mildred’s (Nell Fisher) life is turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes Mildred camping in the notoriously rugged New Zealand wilderness, and the pair embark on the ultimate test of family bonding – a quest to find the mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther.
(L to R) Carrie-Anne Moss and Douglas Smith in ‘Die Alone’. Photo: Filmoption.
Lost in a world reclaimed by nature and overrun by mysterious creatures, a young man with amnesia teams up with an eccentric survivalist to find his missing girlfriend.
Eddie (Tom Hardy) and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.
From director Edward Berger (‘All Quiet on the Western Front’) ‘Conclave’ follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
(L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in ‘Red One.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
After a villain kidnaps Santa (J.K. Simmons) from the North Pole, an E.L.F (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative (Dwayne Johnson) must partner with the world’s most accomplished tracker (Chris Evans) to find Santa and save Christmas.
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
(L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Granda is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu.
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), an ostracized but defiant girl born with green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), a privileged aristocrat born popular, become extremely unlikely friends in the magical Land of Oz. As the two girls struggle with their opposing personalities, their friendship is tested as both begin to fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West. The first of a two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical ‘Moana 2’ takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy, a sudden attack by Wulf (Luke Pasqualino), a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox) and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra (Gaia Wise), the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter in ‘Kraven the Hunter.’
Kraven the Hunter is the visceral, action-packed origin story of how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.
Rafiki (John Kani) relays the legend of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) to lion cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), daughter of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé). Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) —the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion a journey of misfits searching for their destiny and working together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
(L to R) Director James Cameron, Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
D23 2024 finished off its first day on Friday, August 9th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California with a presentation showcasing the upcoming Disney movies and TV shows.
The presentation included upcoming film and television projects from Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and kicked off with Walt Disney Animation.
Bob Iger at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
But first, CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Iger took to the stage to address the arena full of fans. It was Iger’s first D23 in five years and he told the audience how much he missed them.
“There is nothing more that we love then surprising you and filling your heart with love. The world needs to be entertained more than ever before, and we take that seriously. We have a lot to be proud of and more to look forward to.”
Actress Ginnifer Goodwin took to the stage to show footage from her upcoming sequel, ‘Zootopia 2’. She also announced that Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan is joining the cast as a snake named Gary.
“Now, reptiles have a shady past, and Gary could send the crew on a whole new mission.”
‘Zootopia 2’ is scheduled for release on November 26, 2025.
Jennifer Lee presenting at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Next, CEO of Walt Disney Animation Studios Jennifer Lee announced that the long-awaited third installment of the ‘Frozen’ franchise will be release in 2027.
“Coming out of ‘Frozen II’ we still have some questions.”
She also revealed concept art from the new movie, which featured Elsa and Anna on horseback with Olaf riding along.
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Pixar Animation Studios
‘Dream Productions’
‘Dream Productions’. Photo: Disney.
CCO of Pixar Pete Doctor began by thanking the audience for their support of the box office hit ‘Inside Out 2’.
“I want to thank all of you for going to theaters and making ‘Inside Out 2’ the number one animated movie of all time.”
He also announced a new Disney+ series set in the world on ‘Inside Out’ called ‘Dream Productions’. The series is set between the original film and the sequel and Doctor screened footage for the audience.
Doctor also announced another Disney+ series called ‘Win or Lose‘, and the new movie ‘Hoppers’, which stars Bobby Moynihan and newly announced villain, Jon Hamm.
Next, Doctor introduced the fifth installment in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise and had this to say:
“We are excited for Jesse, Woody and what all the gang will do next.”
Doctor then introduced the director and writer of the movie, Pixar-regular Andrew Stanton. Stanton revealed that the villain of the new movie will be technology.
“Toys’ jobs are harder when the toys go up against what kids are obsessed with today, technology. This time around its toys vs. tech.”
(L to R) Zoe Saldaña and Yonas Kibreab at D23 2024 presenting ‘Elio’. Photo: Disney.
Zoe Saldaña was on hand to present her upcoming movie, ‘Elio’ and show footage from the film. The new movie follows an eleven-year-old boy named Elio Solis (Yonas Kibreab) who accidentally becomes the intergalactic Ambassador of planet Earth after being beamed up to the Communiverse by aliens for making contact.
The actress had this to say about the movie:
“I felt a real connection to the character. It felt authentic. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”
‘Elio’ is scheduled for release on June 13th, 2025.
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‘Incredibles 3’
Pete Doctor presenting ‘Incredibles 3’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Finally, Doctor announced the long-awaited third installment of the ‘Incredibles’ franchise entitled ‘Incredibles 3’.
“Brad Bird is developing it now. We think the film is special and hope you enjoy it.”
Jude Law presenting ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Actor Jude Law presented the first trailer from the upcoming Disney+ series, which will be release this December. The series is told from the perspective of a group of kids who get lost in the vastness of space and are trying to find their way home.
Law addressed the fans and expressed his joy to be part of the project:
“I’m thrilled to share with you ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’. It means a great deal for me to be part of the ‘Star Wars’ family’.
You can watch the trailer below, which reveals Law’s character is a Jedi.
(L to R) Dave Filoni, Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm and Jon Favreau appears at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California on August 09, 2024. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
Director Jon Favreau and producer Dave Filoni surprised the crowd by presenting some exclusive footage from the upcoming feature film version of the Disney+ show. The footage featured the main characters on a new adventure, as well as ‘Star Wars’ familiars like At-Ats, snowtroopers and surprisingly, Babu Frick from the recent ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’.
Favreau had this to say about the movie:
“We are getting an opportunity to bring these characters to the big screen.”
Filoni added:
“We’re all excited to have ‘Star Wars’ back on the big screen.”
Favreau mentioned that they just started filming a few weeks ago. The movie is scheduled to release in 2026.
(L to R) Anthony Mackie and Kevin Feige presenting ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and actor Anthony Mackie presented footage from ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ but it was the same footage shown a few weeks ago at San Diego Comic-Con.
The footage included a meeting between President Ross (Harrison Ford) and Sam Wilson (Mackie), where Ross asks Wilson to form a new Avengers team. Another scene reveals that the Celestial left behind after the events of ‘Eternals’ is made of Adamantium, the same metal that made Wolverine’s claws. The footage also reveals Giancarlo Esposito’s villain Sidewinder and ends with Ford’s Ross becoming the Red Hulk on the White House lawn in front of the press.
Mackie had this to say about playing the iconic role:
‘The shield is very heavy. It’s an amazing honor.’
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ opens in theaters on February 14th, 2025.
With the film currently shooting, the cast was unable to appear but sent a video that features actor Joseph Quinn in his superhero costume.
Again, the footage shown was the same from Comic-Con, but features the Fantastic Car, the team in their astronaut suits, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) teaching a science class on television, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) in Thing form on a dating show, and a final scene of villain Galactus (Ralph Ineson) looking in on the Baxter Building where H.E.R.B.I.E. is vacuuming the living room.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is scheduled for release on July 25th, 2025.
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‘Ironheart’
The cast of ‘Ironheart’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
“I have been having the best time playing Riri and I can’t wait for you to see the series”.
The footage reveals that Riri is expelled from MIT following the events of ‘Wakanda Forever’ and makes an uneasy alliance with Ramos’ villain, The Hood.
“We’re channeling the essence of the original series but forging a new path.”
The footage sees the return of the Punisher and Bullseye, our first look at the White Tiger, and a confrontation between Matt Murdock and the Kingpin that reveals he knows who the Daredevil really is.
The series will premiere on Disney+ March, 2025 and Cox revealed that they’ll begin shooting season 2 soon.
The group revealed the new trailer from the show, which you can watch below. The trailer shows Agatha trying to put her coven back together, and it also gives us our first glimpse of Audrey Plaza in the series.
‘Agatha All Along’ will premiere on Disney + September 18th.
(L to R) Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler presenting ‘Snow White’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Actresses Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot appeared to introduce the new trailer for the upcoming live-action remake, as well as screen an extended scene featuring the iconic ‘Whistle While You Work.’
Zegler said this about the making the movie:
“It’s been an honor of a lifetime. It’s been the most incredible experience, and I can’t wait to share it with you.”
Gadot added:
“It was lots of fun to do something different than I’ve ever done before. It was delicious and fun.”
The cast of ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ at D23 2024. Photo: Disney.
Award winning director Barry Jenkins was on hand to present the new trailer for the live action ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’, which is a prequel to Jon Favreau’s 2019 movie. Jenkins announced that Lin-Manual Miranda will write the music, as well as the return of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively, who all appeared to greet the crowd.
You can watch the new trailer below, and the film is scheduled for release on December 20th.
Bridges, who starred in the original, had this to say about his return:
“I’m Just a small part of this”.
Lee explained that she plays Eve Kim, a programmer that helped create Ares, who’s now come into our world. The footage shows Leto’s Ares in the real world, and our first look at Bridges as Kevin Flynn.
Leto said this about his character’s motives:
“He’s a program looking to make the real world his, permanently”.
Finally, it was announced that Nine Inch Nails will provide the music for the movie, which will be released on October 10th, 2025.
(L to R) Director James Cameron, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
Oscar-winning director James Cameron revealed that the official title of ‘Avatar 3’ is ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. He also brought actors Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña on to the stage before showing concept art from the upcoming film. However, Cameron told the crowd it was too early to show footage.
Cameron had this to say about the new movie:
“It’s an insane adventure, and feast for eyes, but has high stakes. There are new characters that you will love, and love to hate. You’ll see more of Pandora than you ever seen before. The new film is not what you expect but what you want.”
Worthington added:
“We have been hard at work getting it done.”
Saldaña finished by thanking the fans for their support:
“We want to personally thank you for your support.”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is scheduled for release on December 19th, 2025.
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D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event Presented by Visa. Photo: The Walt Disney Company.
(L to R) Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Shawn Levy, Barry Jenkins, Amy Poehler and Kevin Feige at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
Preview:
Disney, as expected, went big on Pixar and Marvel.
The likes of ‘Deadpool’, ‘Inside Out 2’ and more were showcased.
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ also showed footage.
Disney might not be enjoying quite the same cinematic dominance as it once did, but it still has some heavy hitters thanks to the likes of ‘Avatar’, ‘Star Wars’ and more.
Before the main presentation, we were treated to a PSA from no less than Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their ‘Deadpool and Wolverine‘ outfits, reminding the audience not to silence cellphones (it included a skit about Deadpool trying to spoil Marvel’s upcoming Avengers movie ‘Secret Wars’, but being interrupted by a ringing phone, leading to a filthy rant.)
Disney Co-Chair Alan Bergman kicked things off by saying that while every movie can’t be on the level of ‘Avatar’, but that the company continues to invest in event movies. A timeline on screen certainly attested to that, with confirmations of the various ‘Avatar’, Marvel and other titles.
First up was the next generation of the ‘Apes’ franchise, which has the unenviable task of following the Matt Reeves films.
Set decades after those movies, Wes Ball’s new effort is focused on the young ape known as Noah, and a couple of footage clips looked truly impressive –– Weta’s effects team once more working wonders on the motion capture apes.
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is in theaters on May 10th, so not too long to wait now.
This based-on-truth tale stars Daisy Ridley as Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Directed by Joachim Rønning and written by Jeff Nathanson, a new trailer for the movie was shown, which you can find below:
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‘The Young Woman and the Sea’ paddles into theaters on May 31st.
Amy Poehler at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
The return to the world of a young girl’s head has been a controversial one so far, with several of the voice cast deciding not to return after low pay offers.
But Amy Poehler is back as main character Joy, here confronting some new emotions as her charge Riley enters the tween/teenaged stage.
Poehler was present to introduce roughly 35 minutes from the start of the film and enthuse about how much Joy means to her.
As you might expect from Pixar, the footage went over very well, packed full of emotional power. (The likes of Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri and Paul Walter Hauser are among the new voices for this one.)
‘Inside Out 2’ will be out on June 14th.
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And so we leave the sweet animation world for somewhere very different…
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
Kevin Feige walked on stage to talk about upcoming Marvel output. In keeping with Disney’s new mandate of quality over quantity, there is only one main movie from the MCU gang this year.
Feige cracked that they had Deadpool design a popcorn bucket to tie-in with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and can’t wait for us to… experience it. The mind shudders.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ will be with us on July 26th.
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Feige moved on to future movies. He dropped word that the ‘Thunderbolts’ movie is actually titled ‘Thunderbolts*’ and that the asterisk will be explained at some point soon. That movie will be with us on May 5th, 2025.
Then it was time to look further –– Feige mentioned that his team is developing two of their movies to shoot with IMAX cameras, including ‘The Fantastic Four’, which will finally kick off production in a couple of months.
(L to R) Anthony Mackie and Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
The Marvel boss moved on to ‘Captain America: Brave New World‘, citing the influence of ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’. He described the movie thus far as fast-paced and grounded and focused on Sam Wilson.
With that, Anthony Mackie took the stage, to a salute from Feige –– “you should always salute your captain.” Mackie was to show the audience a clip. Cut the check!
The footage has Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross –– who is now President –– telling Sam Wilson that he wants him to help rebuild the Avengers. There’s also a moment where a mind- controlled former super-soldier Isiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) tries to kill the Prez.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ arrives on February 14th next year.
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And in case you thought Team Marvel didn’t somehow find time to hype ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ one more time, director Shawn Levy closed out the company’s section of the Disney presentation with 9 minutes from the movie.
As could have been predicted, the ‘Deadpool’ footage is chaotic, funny and meta. We won’t give away too much here but suffice to say it’s everything you might be hoping (or fearing), including a shot of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor crying over Wade Wilson’s body. (“That happens in the distant future”, our hero is told.)
The new entry in the ‘Alien’ franchise comes from Fede Alvarez, and if you’ve seen the first teaser, you know it’s very much in the horror mode.
Nine minutes of footage was screened for the audience. It was largely a scene featuring a legion of involved a series of small Facehuggers attacking scientists in a cryo Lab. One of the creatures manages to swim like a shark through some water and escape the lab. As the clip ends, many Facehuggers escape and start filling the ship…
We also see a scene of an alien explosively birthing itself from the chest of a human victim, all while the ship it is aboard is crashing though the walls of a giant structure.
‘Alien: Romulus’ heads to theaters on August 16th.
Fresh of Oscar victory (and box office success), the Searchlight team arrived to promote Yorgos Lanthimos’ next collaboration with stars Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe. They confirmed that the movie will debut at Cannes but didn’t offer much beyond the trailer that has already been shown online.
‘Kinds of Kindness’ is due in theaters on June 21st.
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The movie was simply mentioned along with a batch of other Searchlight releases, including ‘The Amateur’, starring Rami Malek (due out April 11th next year) and ‘Nightbitch,’ which has Amy Adams starring (and will be out on December 6th).
‘Ella McCay’ is the latest film from James L. Brooks, who has quite the cast attached to his latest film, about a young politician juggling life and work as she prepares to try and take over for her mentor.
Director Barry Jenkins at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
We already knew that Barry Jenkins was working on this prequel to the 2019 photo-realistic remake of the animal drama.
Jenkins headed on stage to explain how incredibly personal Mufasa is to him, and how he watched the original hand-drawn animated version hundreds of times as a kid and then with his nephews. He sees the new movie as a chance to share a similar message and feeling with a new generation.
“This is a massive f*****g film,” Jenkins said, “and it was my job to fill it with massive heart.” He jokes that he can’t share who is performing the music for the movie because Disney won’t let him.
He debuted the first trailer from the movie, on which he’s been working for 3/12 years. It is, as you would expect, full of lion goodness.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is in theaters on December 20th.
Dwayne Johnson at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
By which we mean, of course, The Rock. Dwayne Johnson was on stage with a phalanx of Polynesian dancers to introduce the animated sequel to the 2016 hit.
This new movie was famously adapted from the planned TV series featuring the character, and Johnson explained how his performance as demigod Maui was inspired by his grandfather.
He was surprised on stage by receiving the NATO Spirit of the Industry and seemed genuinely touches.
Johnson wrapped things up by showing some ‘Moana 2’ material. “You’re welcome!”
The footage has Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) singing about how happy she is to be home. But before long, she’s off on another adventure.
‘Moana 2’ makes landfall in theaters on November 27th.
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And that’s it for Disney and the big CinemaCon studio presentations!
Dwayne Johnson at Disney’s 2024 CinemaCon Presentation. Photo: Disney.
‘Andor’s Beau Willimon has joined ‘Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi’.
James Mangold is co-writing and directing the movie.
A group of other ‘Star Wars’ and Disney movies just landed release dates.
Given the critical success of the first season of ‘Star Wars: Andor’ in 2022, it’s perhaps not shocking that a key component of that show’s creative team would be snapped up to work elsewhere in Lucasfilm’s universe.
And now, The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Beau Willimon –– previously most famous for creating Netflix’s ‘House of Cards’ and who was on Tony Gilroy’s writing team for ‘Andor’ –– is aboard to co-write what is still known as ‘Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi’ with director James Mangold.
(L to R) Director James Mangold, and Dave Filoni at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
‘Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi’ looks to dig into a time a long, long, looong time ago in that galaxy far, far away.
Announced in April last year at Star Wars celebration, the film has been wrapped in secrecy since then.
Here’s what Mangold said at the time:
“When I first started talking to Kathy Kennedy about doing one of these pictures, what occurred to me was thinking about what kind of genre of movie within ‘Star Wars’ I wanted to do. And I thought about a biblical epic, like a ‘Ten Commandments’, about the dawning of the Force. Where did the Force come from, when did we discover it, when did we learn how to use it?”
It’s certainly one we’re excited to see.
What is happening with ‘Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi’?
(L to R) Director James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
But with Willimon aboard to co-write, the new ‘Star Wars’ effort should now pick up some momentum.
When will ‘Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi’ be in theaters?
The movie has yet to confirm a release date, though given Mangold’s schedule, we can’t imagine it’ll be before 2027. And Lucasfilm/Disney have been busy filling release dates recently…
What release date information has been released for upcoming Disney films?
While ‘Dawn of the Jedi’ is not yet at a point that it can aim for a release date, Disney has confirmed some the release news for various projects.
Fellow ‘Star Wars’ big screen effort ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ has now May 22nd, 2026, date, with Disney and Lucasfilm figuring that the armored warrior and his little green pal can win the Memorial Day weekend that year.
In Pixar news, ‘Toy Story 5’ will see Woody, Buzz and the gang back for a new entry on June 19th, 2026.
And the live-action version of ‘Moana’ is on the move, shifting later in the year partly because of the release of ‘Moana 2’ (which is out November 27th this year), and the new movie will now land on July 10th, 2026.
‘Tron: Ares’, meanwhile, is set for October 10th, 2025.
