AsMoana 2finally sets sail into theaters this weekend, fans of the hit 2016 musical finally get the chance to catch up with the beloved titular Wayfinder (Auli’i Cravalho) and her demigod pal Maui (Dwayne Johnson). While the creative team obviously drew inspiration from the firstMoanamovie, during a Critics Choice Association roundtable, Disney Animation’s Chief Creative OfficerJared Bush, directorsJason HandandDana Ledoux Miller(who co-wrote the film with Bush), and songwriting duoAbigail BarlowandEmily Bearshared which other films in Disney’s storied filmography inspired them in the creative process.
Both Hand and Bush citedThe Little Mermaidas an influence. Though it may seem obvious that that would be their go-to — what with both movies followinga young woman seeking a life outside the confines of her community, not to mention the heavy emphasis on the ocean — for the pair of them, it really came down to the music, and the emotion conveyed through it. As Bush explained, “That movie changed a lot for me, but also just the amazing scope and emotion that you can bring to life in a musical.” Hand added to that sentiment, saying he wore out his copy ofThe Little Mermaidas a child, and added:
“What I learned from that, and I think what this film does so well, is tell the story through songs. That’s the most important part of a Disney musical, is the emotional turns of the character are done in song moments, and that’s such a powerful thing. you may really have a window into the emotions and the soul of a character when they’re singing, because at that point the film they have to sing because the emotion is just raw.”
While Barlow agreed thatThe Little Mermaidwas a favorite — with her and Bear assuring the others they do in fact know what a VHS is — she cited a different Disney renaissance film asan inspiration for herself and Bear, saying that the pair often look to “Belle,” the opening number fromBeauty and the Beast, “because it’s so perfect.” She added, “It’s like the perfect opening number and I think we revisited that a couple of times when we wrote ‘We’re Back’.”
‘Moana 2’s Co-Director Bridged the Legacy of Disney With Her Own Heritage
For co-writer and co-director Dana Ledoux Miller, her work onMoana 2was a combination of looking at the films of Disney’s past, and also looking at her own Pacific roots, and the culture of the Pacific. She also namedThe Little MermaidandBeauty and the Beastas favorites of hers, along with fellow Disney Renaissance classicsAladdinandThe Lion King, saying they stood out for the way they told their stories with “such humor and such heart.” She added:
“I think every day we were striving to build a film that fit into that legacy, and we really pushed ourselves to find the humor in this story. I mean, in so many ways, this movie is a celebration of the Pacific, and part of our culture is to be fun, and funny and take joy in nature, and each other, and community, and it was exciting to bridge the cultural aspects of that with what feels like a very Disney movie.”
As with the first movie, production onMoana 2also included their in-house Oceanic Cultural Trust, featuring a range of experts from across the islands of the Pacific — in fields from language to dance to navigation. For Ledoux Miller, the Trust was also a key component in telling the storythey wanted to tell as authentically as possible:
“There’s this misconception when you’re working with consultants that it’s the storytellers crafting a story and then going to the experts and getting them to sign off on what we want. It really wasn’t us trying to infuse a story into their lens. It was a cohesive conversation, and so many of the moments in this film and so much of Moana’s journey is directly inspired by these conversations that we were having with our consultants.”
She went on to say that the Trust was “also not afraid to tell us when they disagreed with the direction we were going,” adding:
“When they saw that we were listening to them and that we were taking what they were saying to heart, and we were making changes to better fit the cultural specificity that we were going after, it built a trust that was unparalleled, and so I think that’s why we see such a rich texture of culture throughout our film. Not to mention that both Dave Derek and I are Samoan, so we were bringing out own inherent cultural connection to the storytelling.”
Moana 2is in theaters now.
Moana sets out on another daring voyage, venturing into uncharted territories to save her island from a looming ancient danger. Joined by the demigod Maui and her steadfast friends, she braves perilous seas and encounters new allies along the way. Her quest leads to revelations about her ancestors and deeper insights into her bond with the ocean.
