Who is directing the Moana live-action movie?

Moana’s live-action version is directed by Thomas Kail.

Moana’s live-action movie is an adaptation of Disney's animated film Moana which was released back in 2016. The movie will recreate the journey of the titular main character who goes on a journey to save Motunui from the brink of destruction. The movie is produced by Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Beau Flynn and will be made under the banner of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The cast of the series includes Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana, Dwayne Johnson playing the role of Maui, John Tui as Chief Tui, Moana's father, Frankie Adams as Sina, Moana's mother, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala, Moana's grandmother.

Who is directing the live-action Moana?

The live-action Moana will be directed by Thomas Kail. With the screenplay by writers and screenplay artists Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, the movie was under development back in April 2023. The movie is still under development with principal photography done in Atlanta and Hawaii between July and November 2024. The movie has a tentative release date of July 10, 2026, for Canada and the United States.

Thomas Kail’s Career

Thomas Kail is a director who is known for working on various American theatre and television projects. The artist started his career as an off-Broadway and Broadway director, working for the musicals “In the Heights” and the theatre-based movie Hamilton, featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda. Moana’s live-action version is set to be his first project as a film director in the industry.

Apart from theater, the director also made a name for himself working in various television series like Critical Hours (2006), The Electric Company (2009), 2 Broke Girls (2012), The Jack and Triumph Show (2015), Fosse/Verdon (2019), and We Were the Lucky Ones (2024) among others. The director has received various awards and honors including 3 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, an NAACP Award, and an SDC Joseph A. Callaway Award. The director was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music - Film for his work in We Are Freestyle Love Supreme.

One of the most notable moments in Thomas Kali’s career was in 2019 when the director received the Kennedy Center Honors for his work in the musical Hamilton. Thomas shared this recognition with fellow workers Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Plot of Moana’s live-action movie

Moana’s live-action movie brings to life the animated version of the film and showcases the adventurous tale of a Polynesian teenager, Moana Waialiki, chosen by the ocean to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. Set in a fictional ancient Oceania, her island called Motanui faces ecological ruin due to the darkness that spread when the heart of Te Fiti was stolen. Defying her father’s wishes, Moana sails beyond the reef to find the shapeshifting demigod Maui who was the one who stole the heart, for the humans. Together, they battle formidable mythical creatures and overcome Maui’s personal struggles, in turn bringing peace back to her homeland.