Moana looks fine while Maui looks a woman in a muscle suit from an SNL sketch.

Disney has officially released the trailer for its live-action Moana, set to arrive in theaters on July 10. If you’re expecting a bold reimagining, you might want to lower those expectations to “shot-for-shot nostalgia with a bigger budget.”

The film stars Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returning as Maui. Other actors include John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Rena Owen. Disney clearly isn’t interested in reinventing the wheel here, they’ve simply polished it. Furthermore, they have given it realistic water physics and sent it back out to sea.

The trailer wastes no time reminding you why people loved the original. We get sweeping shots of Motunui, glowing ocean waves, and the familiar setup. Moana feels the pull of the sea, her island faces a creeping environmental doom, and destiny politely (but firmly) volunteers her for a dangerous quest. The ocean chooses her and the stakes rise. Then, off she goes to find Maui and return the heart of Te Fiti. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is, painfully so.

Catherine Lagaʻaia, to her credit, looks promising. She brings a grounded presence to Moana. Even in brief moments, there’s a sense of sincerity that could carry the emotional weight of the film. The problem is that everything around her feels like it’s trying just a little too hard to remind you of the animated version. Instead of just being its own thing, it comes across as forced.

Then there’s Maui.

Dwayne Johnson steps back into the role with all the charisma you’d expect, but the visual execution does him absolutely no favors. Due to his reported physical changes, the production decided to “enhance” his build with a padded bodysuit. Not just any bodysuit, though, this one appears to be aiming for Maui’s exaggerated animated proportions.

And it shows.

 

Moana Remake Trailer

Instead of looking like a demigod, he looks like a very expensive Halloween costume. The suit has that unmistakable puffed, rounded look that doesn’t quite move like a real body should. It’s the kind of design choice that makes you wonder if anyone on set said, “Hey… maybe tone this down?” and was immediately ignored.

And the wig? Somehow worse. It sits on his head with all the natural realism of something you’d find hanging on a plastic hook at Party City two days before Halloween. It’s thick, it’s obvious, and it refuses to blend in with anything happening on screen. You don’t watch Maui, you watch the wig try to coexist with gravity.

To be fair, the rest of the trailer leans into spectacle. The ocean effects look impressive, the action sequences feel масштабed for the big screen, and the tone balances humor and adventure in a way that mirrors the original. The music cues hit where they’re supposed to, the emotional beats are all accounted for, and the story remains as solid as ever.

But that’s also the issue.

This doesn’t feel like a new interpretation, it feels like a very committed reenactment. Every major beat, every line, every character dynamic seems carefully preserved. As a result, it feels as if Disney is less interested in reimagining Moana. They seem more interested in reminding you that you already liked it once.

Maybe that will be enough. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and the original story still works. But when one of your main characters looks like he borrowed his body from a theme park performer and his hair from a clearance bin, it’s hard not to notice.

The film sails into theaters on July 10. Whether it makes waves or just rides the current of the original remains to be seen.