The following contains spoilers for Moana 2, now playing in theatersMoana 2was originally envisioned as a TV show, and gained some real strengths — and unavoidable flaws — by shifting formats to a theatrical film. The follow-up to 2016’s smash hitMoana,Moana 2was originally announced as a Disney+ series that could further expand the world of the titular Wayfinder. However, things shifted forMoana 2after Disney CEO Bob Igerand other executives at the studio were impressed with the early footage produced for the show.
The plot forMoana 2remained the same, with a tighter focus and faster pacing to accommodate the shift from a series to a more compact movie. The result is that some elements of the plot are improved by this more focused approach, keeping the story epic and centered around Moana herself. However, some elements of the narrative andMoana 2’s supporting castwould have benefited from the breathing room a TV show would have afforded them. Here’s the biggest reasonsMoana 2works as a movie, and how it could have been improved if it remained a show.
10Why Moana 2 Would Work Better As A Show: The Supporting Cast Could Have Been Improved
A TV Show Could Have Given The Supporting Cast More Focus
One of the waysMoana 2would have been improved if it had retained its original conception as a TV showis the way the story builds up the supporting cast.Moana 2introduces a host of new characters, including three additional crew members for her journey. However, they are all fairly slight. While Loto and Moni get some character development in the film, it’s far more minor than what they have likely received in the show.
Pua
Actual Pig Sounds
Keke and Kotu likely suffer the most from the lack of focus the film affords them, as their character development occurs more off-screen and is even played as a gag at the end of the film. An expanded run-time and the episodic nature of aMoana 2TV show would have given those characters more room to shine. This was likely a necessary causality of the shift to feature-length, but it’s a regrettable one all the same.
9Why Moana 2 Works Better As A Movie: All Killer, No Filler
As A Movie,Moana 2Doesn’t Waste Any Time With Subplots Or Throwaway Stories
In its current form as a feature-length movie instead of a longer-running TV show,Moana 2benefits from a streamlined approach to the story. As a show,Moana 2would have likely stretched out the journey across the sea to fit multiple episodes. While this may have afforded the filmmakers more time to expand on the supporting cast and the world at large,that also invites the risk of pulling focus away from the actual story. As a film, the plot remains on a faster clip that doesn’t ever really slow down, enhancing the tension.
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Even the quieter character moments are directly related to the events of the plot instead of diversions from the central story and Moana’s personal arc. The quicker pace of the film means that the filmmakers could focus on the more compelling beats of the plotand cut the slower moments needed to pad out multiple episodes.Moana 2might have felt bloated if several episodes were focused on the same overarching plot but kept getting distracted. It moves quicker as a movie, and the story benefits from that.
8Why Moana 2 Would Work Better As A Show: Matangi Could Have Been Better Developed
Matangi Is A Great Character Who Feels Underserved By The Film’s Tighter Run-Time
Played by Awhimai Fraser, Matangi is a very intriguing character. Introduced as a villain serving under the command of Nalo, Matangi proves much more compassionate and empathetic when she meets Moana. This surprising depth would have likely been a slow-burn reveal in aMoana 2show, with various minor appearances in the series building to the true reveal of her character.In the film, her personality shift comes across as a sudden and unexpected turn.
Matangi could have been vastly improved with the bit more character focus and screen time a show likely would have given her.
This is a shame, as she feels slightly underdeveloped as a result. More room for storytelling in a show could have given her a focus episode, highlighted her history with Maui, and given her surprising interplay with Moana more attention. A unique design, fun powers, and engaging personality make Matangi one of the better additions toMoana 2’s overall cast. Still,Matangi could have been vastly improved with the bit more character focusand screen time a show likely would have given her.
7Why Moana 2 Works Better As A Movie: Nalo Remains Intimidating
Nalo Doesn’t Lose Any Of His Dangerous Qualities Thanks To A Tighter Plot And Lack Of Diversions
One of the more interesting elements ofMoana 2is the way the film builds up Nalo as a major threat. The lightning god is treated with a dead seriousness that nothing else in eitherMoanafilm has been, with the movie never pulling punches about the dangerous fury of the deity.A TV show would have likely lost some of that mystique, as it would have needed to extend the threat and the danger without ever making it too much for the heroes to contend with episode by episode.
As explained in this video fromScreen Rant, the post-credits scene ofMoana 2sets up Nalo as an overarching villain who would likely reappear in a prospectiveMoana 3.
By contrast, the film is able to condense that aspect of the story and keep Nalo as a more specific and dangerous figure. Nalo comes close to killing the heroes multiple times and even succeeds (briefly) in taking down Moana. His fewer appearances in the film’s plot makes those moments all the more impactful. Nalo might have lost some of that dangerous spark if his presence had been felt in several episodes without ever doing anything. Instead, as an overarching but direct threat in a movie-lengthMoana 2,Nalo remains intimidating and dangerous.
6Why Moana 2 Would Work Better As A Show: The Second Act Could Have Been More Memorable
Moana 2’s Episodic Nature Could Have Given The Second Act More Depth & Focus
Moana 2has a strong opening and a very impressive climax. However, the middle section of the film feels very disjointed by contrast. This is likely the section of the plot that was most impacted by the shift from TV show to film, as any number of adventures or unique situations that would have filled up multiple episodes are brushed aside. Elements inMoana 2like the alliance with the Kakamora, the Wayfinder crew coming together, andthe journey through the monstrous clam could have been fleshed out more individuallywith their own episodes.
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Moana 2 brings back the Kakamora creatures, the beings who wear coconuts for armor - but what do the creatures look like without the coconuts on?
Instead, the film runs through them in short order. While this keeps the pace of the movie moving, it also detracts from the second act and leaves it far less memorable. By contrast, the second act ofMoanadoes something functionally similar but keeps the focus tight enough on Moana and Maui while embracing the unique visuals and challenges.Moana 2needed more room to replicate that aspect of the prior film, and doesn’t find it in a feature-length run-time.
5Why Moana 2 Works Better As A Movie: More Streamlined Approach To Plot
As A Film,Moana 2’s More Straightforward Plot Doesn’t Get Bogged Down
Moana 2being a show would have naturally invited more diversions to fill the longer run-time, with more time spent on the supporting cast and their own arcs. While this might have helped add depth to the overall cast of characters or helped flesh out the world, it would have also likely driven the plot in other directions, away from the central threat of Nalo’s curse.This might have negatively impacted the central throughline of the story, diverging away from the main plot and distracting from the adventure at hand.
Moana 2keeps the focus on the central mission.
By filtering the plot through the more streamlined feature film approach,Moana 2keeps the focus on the central mission. While a show would have leaned fully episodic, the natural pacing of epic storytelling benefits multiple locations but a central focus. As a film, the tension and importance of Moana’s quest remain front and center in the story, whereas a longer show might have lost some of that natural momentum by shifting to other minor adventures.
4Why Moana 2 Would Work Better As A Show: Maui Doesn’t Get Much Of An Arc
Maui’s Arc Needed More Time To Be More Effective
Maui is functionally the secondary lead ofMoanaandMoana 2. His arc is a vital component of the previous film, butMaui’s presence is sorely missed for much of the first half ofMoana 2. However, even when he does enter the film, Maui is a far smaller character than one would expect in the story. The movie’s focus on Moana is the right call, and Maui does get the seed of an interesting idea by highlighting his fears that Moana wouldn’t survive an encounter with Nalo.
However, a longer run-time afforded by a TV show could have given the character more time to work through those personality beats. Given Maui’s comedic moments with Moni and his emotional connection to Moana, more focus on his concerns about humans and his attempts to empathize with the crew would have made for a great element of the show. Instead,Maui fully becomes a supporting character inMoana 2, and the film doesn’t give his arc the space it needs to flourish.
3Why Moana 2 Works Better As A Movie: Moana Remains The Central Focus
Moana 2Keeps The Focus On Moana Herself And Keeps Her Arc Front And Center
By makingMoana 2a movie instead of a show, the filmmakers had to sharpen the focus of the story on the title character. While this may have short-changed the supporting cast,it also definitely helped Moana herself. As the title character, Moana needed to be the heart and soul of the story. The film reflects this well, with the main plot and secondary character arc all working in tandem with Moana’s need to become a more confident and heroic leader.
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By making the story into a movie instead of a show,Moana 2retains a specific focus on her character arc. This means elements like her self-doubt in the first act, her efforts to retain control of the situation in the second act, and her eventual heroic sacrifice in the third act remain the central emotional throughline of the story.Moana 2’s other characters might have benefited from a larger show,but it might have negatively impacted the title character to tell the story in that form.
2Why Moana 2 Would Work Better As A Show: The Episodic Nature Would Have Fit The Show Better
Moana 2’s Episodic Approach To The Plot Was A Natural Fit For A Show, Not A Movie
Moana 2is ultimately a very episodic film, with clear points where the story shifts focus or encounters a plot break. This is likely because of the film’s original nature as a TV show, where those episodic breaks would have made more sense. Because of the film’s more hurried pacing,those “episodes” don’t get the time they need to breathe inMoana 2, serving more as minor set-pieces than fully fleshed-out sequences or stories.
Moana 2was announced as a Disney+ show in December 2020, but was officially announced as a theatrical movie in February 2024
By contrast, a TV show could have given elements like the Wayfinders coming together to become a crew or the mission through the giant clam more space.The setting shifts would have likely had a more natural flow from episode to episode, instead of the film’s more frantic jumps in the story. By its very nature,Moana 2’s story would have been improved by embracing the episodic nature of the plot and actually breaking it up into episodes.
1Why Moana 2 Works Better As A Movie: The Epic Scope & Visuals Work Better On The Big Screen
Moana 2’s Epic Visuals Are Improved By The Expanded Scope Of A Theatrical Approach
Moana 2is ultimately an epic at its very core, and the visuals reflect that.Moana 2takes place across the entire ocean, with several larger-than-life challenges facing Moana and her Wayfinder crew. As a TV show,Moana 2would have likely been among the more impressive Disney+ original shows. By contrast,moving the action to the big screen was an effective way to present the larger-than-life story ofMoana 2.
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The scale of the story and its visuals benefits from a theatrical release, especially the final battle against Nalo. While the scene would have likely still been impressive in a TV show season finale, it is improved by playing out on a much larger scale.Moana 2’s big visual moments feel more genuinely epicwith a theatrical presentation. This is the chief reason whyMoana 2works better as a film over a show, and how it benefits from the larger presentation.
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.
