‘Moana’ Olympics TV Spot Showcases Daring Heroine and The Rock as Shape-Shifting Demi-God
Dwayne Johnson will get his family-friendly groove on when he voices the South Pacific demi-god Maui in Disney’s upcoming animated adventure Moana, set for a Thanksgiving release. While the film thus far had only issued a brief teaser, those watching last night’s Olympics telecast were treated to a brand-new peek at what The Rock and Co. are cooking.
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The dynamic between Maui and his new friend Moana (newcomer Auli’I Cravalho) gets a fun intro in Moana’s Olympics TV spot (watch it above), which emphasizes the banter between its leads — and which, in turn, puts across the wannabe-hero egotism of Johnson’s stocky supernatural character, as well as the formidable and funny strength of its heroine. While the focus still remains weighted a bit toward its male character, who shape-shifts into a soaring bird and shows off his animated body art, this early look also reveals that the story — about Moana and Maui trying to find a legendary lost island — will at least partly have them tangling with all manner of oceanic adversaries, including a fiery (and angry-looking) lava monster.
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Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid and Aladdin), Moana will boast a supporting cast that includes the recently announced Nicole Scherzinger, Jemaine Clement, Alan Tudyk, Rachel House, and Temuera Morrison, and feature songs co-written by Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda — including some to be sung by The Rock himself.
Watch the previously released short teaser for ‘Moana’:
