‘Moana 2' directors open up about taking the biggest risk

The directors of Moana 2 recently got candid and discussed the creative shifts, offering a glimpse into the evolving vision for the highly anticipated sequel.

While giving an interview to Deadline, the three directors, Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, and Derrick, talk about changing Moana 2 from a TV show to a movie with changes in the story and exploring new sides of Moana.

Miller was asked, “Can you explain how you turned the TV show idea into a movie?” to which he replied, “We had to focus more on Moana’s story for the movie, making her the hero with a bigger adventure. Turning it into a feature let us expand the scale and make it worthy of the big screen.”

Expanding on Miller’s answer, Hand added by saying, “Turning the TV series into a movie wasn’t just stitching it together. We built the story step by step, tested ideas, and then brought all departments together to create the final film.”

Moving forward, the interviewer threw a question at Derrick, asking, “Moana starts out in her space, and Maui’s off in his own thing. I’m curious about some of that backstory with Matangi—what was your inspiration for her character?”

Answering the question, the director explained, “Matangi was a character we wanted early on—another demigod who could challenge Moana and make her think differently.”

He revealed, "We were inspired by many stories from the Pacific, where nature is always connected and people have ties to certain animals. Matangi is linked to flying foxes, or giant fruit bats, which gave her unique, gravity-defying movements.”

"She was a hard character to figure out, as she marks a turning point in the story. We love that she’s mercurial, fun, and ultimately wants to help Moana,” Derrick concluded by saying.

For the unversed, despite the releases of Wicked Part One and Gladiator II just before Thanksgiving, Moana 2 has left its mark at the international box office.

It is pertinent to mention that Moana 2 has raked in $389 million, while Wicked has grossed $358 million, and Gladiator II has earned $320 million worldwide.