The following contains spoilers for Moana 2, now playing in theatersMoana 2’spotential cinematic follow-up has to avoid a potential major pitfall that could have been set up byMoana 2’s credits scene.Moana 2was an entertaining (if somewhat flawed) return for the title character, who has become one of Disney’s most iconic characters of the 21st century. The film focused on Moana, Maui, and their allies charting a mission across the ocean to undo a curse set off by the fearsome deity Nalo.Moana 2’s endingsaw them succeed and re-open the full scope of the ocean, with Moana even getting a massive power boost for her troubles.
The massive success ofMoana 2makes it incredibly likely that Disney will want to move forward with a third film in the series. There’s plenty of room to go forward, with the credits scene ofMoana 2even hinting at the general direction another sequel could take. However, that credits tease could also be a bad omen for the future of theMoanafranchise, as it could set the series up to repeat the same conflicts and story beats as before. If anyprospective Disney sequel wants to be bigger thanMoana 2, it must avoid this possible flaw.
Moana 2’s Credits Scene Sets Up Moana 3’s Story & Villains
Nalo Has Been Given Plenty Of Reason To Be The Villain OfMoana 3
Moana 2’s post-credits scene teases the villain and storyline forMoana 3, but it could end up feeling too repetitive to the previous two films. After breaking Nalo’s curse on the ocean and restoring humanity’s ability to find other islands on the open sea, Moana returns home before setting out on a new adventure. However,the credits scene ofMoana 2reveals that a vengeful Nalo isn’t going to let her victory go unanswered. He’s already planning to get his revenge, starting by punishing Matangi for her decision to aid Moana in her quest instead of stopping the young Wayfinder.
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Moana 2 continues a major Disney sequel trend, proving that Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 need to make a major change after Frozen 2’s failures.
Nalo is even joined by Tamatoa fromMoana, the giant crab who apparently still seeks vengeance against Moana and Maui for stealing back Maui’s magical hook. This sets the stage for a prospectiveMoana 3to bring back Nalo as an overarching villain with Tamatoa at his side. His quest for revenge against Moana and humanity at large could easily be a driving threat for a possible sequel. However, it may end up feeling too familiar to his motivations and mission inMoana 2, where his off-screen efforts to bring down humanity are largely plot devices instead of character decisions.
Moana 3 Is Already At Risk Of Being Much Too Similar To Moana 2
Repeating Previous Villains Could MakeMoana 3Feel Too Repetitive
A prospective sequel toMoana 3will have lots of material to build off of, ranging from the reinvigorated populace of Moana’s world exploring the ocean toMoana’s new amplification to a demi-god. However, the credits tease at the end ofMoana 2sets up elements that could feel repetitive after the last two films.The prospectiveMoana 3has already set up two returning villains in Nalo and Tamatoa, whose motivations are seemingly rooted in fury at Moana, Maui, and humanity at large. Moana’s future exploration could undercut any adventurous tone by repeating the basic beats ofMoana 2.
2016
2024
2026
Moana 3(Unconfirmed)
TBD
The nature of Disney archetypes suggests a potentialMoana 3would follow the same general trend of the previous two films.Moana 3wouldn’t end with a downer finale where Nalo kills the heroes and humanity withers away, and will likely follow the typical trend of Disney Animation where the heroes bounce back from certain death and open up a larger world of adventure. Even Nalo’s efforts to depower Maui were undone byMoana 2’s ending,highlighting how the franchise seems unwilling to break from traditional storytelling beats. This makes it likelyMoana 3would followMoana 2’s central arc.
Moana 3 Must Differentiate Itself From Moana 2 To Be Great
Moana 3Would Need To Feel Unique To Reach Its True Potential
If it does get produced, thenMoana 3will need to make some pretty big changes if it wants to succeed. Simply repeating the plot ofMoanaorMoana 2will be criticized for repetition, and would fail to advance the story in any meaningful way. Follwoing so closely toMoana 2’s story and tone might also get it called out by critics, who believed the film was overall lacking in comparison to the originalMoana.Simply bringing back the villains ofMoanaandMoana 2will do little to excite audienceswho’ve come to love the adventurous titular Wayfinder.
Moana needs to face new kinds of internal challenges if the series wants to remain relevant and exciting.
IfMoana 3can embrace a different kind of tone or story, then it might have a better chance of standing away and aboveMoana 2in terms of critical appreciation. This could allow the filmmakers to tackle different concepts and themes with Moana.Moana 2was criticized for relying too much on the same kind of internal doubts as the first film for character drama, highlighting howMoana needs to face new kinds of internal challenges if the series wants to remain relevantand exciting. Simply repeating what worked inMoana 2will fail to keep up the momentum.
How Moana 3 Can Be Different From Moana 2
Moana 3Could Chart An Exciting New Future For Disney
That doesn’t mean a potentialMoana 3would need to be repetitive or boring. Rather, there are plenty of places to take Moana’s story going forward, even with Nalo as an overarching threat.Moana 3could delve further into the hierarchy of deities within Moana’s world, setting up other gods to get involved in Nalo’s conflict with Moana. Moana becoming a demi-god introduces the possibility she’s immortal, meaning she could outlive the family that’s always driven her.A big time-skip inMoana 3could dramatically underscore this, introducing an older version of her sister or highlighting her parents' advancing age.
Moana 3could explore other elements of her society, introducing a romantic subplot for the character or highlighting more of the horrors that can be encountered in the open ocean or within the Realm of the Monsters.Moana 2’s ending set up lots of different directions to take the characters, making it clear why simply repeating the winning elements of the prior two films would be a mistake. If a prospectiveMoana 3wants to reach the heights ofMoanaandMoana 2, then the series needs to move beyond what worked before and chart a new path beyond them.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
