Dwayne Johnson Laughs at Memes as Live-Action Moana Debuts
Consultants' insistence that Maui keep hair drove the wig choice, turning a design detail into a test of the film's cultural authenticity and Disney's live-action strategy.
Overview
- Johnson said he tested 12 different wigs and that he “laughed so hard” at internet jokes about his long-haired Maui during the film's premiere interviews.
- Director Thomas Kail said Pacific Islander advisors, including the Oceanic Cultural Trust, insisted that Maui must have hair because the character's hair is central to his power and identity.
- Early reactions to the live-action film have been uneven and domestic box-office forecasts were revised lower, prompting fresh industry scrutiny of the costly remake approach.
- Johnson confirmed that discussions about a third Moana film have taken place but said the focus for now is the live-action release.
- The live-action release carries heavy franchise weight for Disney given the original's $643 million run and the 2024 sequel's roughly $1 billion global gross, which raises the stakes for both representation and revenue.