Moana 2is the direct sequel to Disney’s beloved modern animated film about a young woman who ventures deep into the seas of Oceania, and already proving to be one of 2024’s biggest hits.Moana 2opened to an excellent box office performanceand is being praised by critics and audiences as a suitable continuation of this popular family-friendly story, developing the universe’s mythos with new characters, new music, and some familiar returning faces. The film’s success is a welcome reminder that there’s always a place for fun, creative sequels in today’s filmmaking landscape.
ButMoana 2’s success is also an excellent excuse to return to some films from previous years that have adopted shared themes and navigated them with similar characters.Kubo and the Two Stringsis a perfect example of this: the stop-motion project has lots in common with bothMoanamovies,and while it was overshadowed by the louder, more popular Disney releases, the film deserves much credit for its buckets of creativity and rich storytelling. It’s one of thebest animated movies of the 2010s, andMoana 2’s success marks the perfect time to rewatch it.
Kubo & The Two Strings Has Similar Themes To The Moana Movies
Kubo & Moana’s Stories Share Similar Coming-Of-Age & Adventure Themes
There are countless similarities betweenKubo and the Two Stringsand bothMoanamovies, not just in their target audience and animated medium,but also in the themes that are explored in both narratives. They are each a tale of exploration and magic, following two young protagonists who discover their place in the world by coming face-to-face with creatures and mythologies much larger than themselves.
Moana 2: Everything You Need To Know
Managing to outdo the extremely popular first film, Disney’s Moana 2 is already one of the studio’s most successful sequels of all time.
Despite their epic scales and powerful characters, both films have extremely relatable and intimate stories about family and coming of age. They’re down-to-earth and grounded in a way that many films about magic and mythology can’t quite manage, which was a key factor in their relative success. This is whyKubo and The Two Stringsis still hailed with a 97% fresh success onRotten Tomatoes, and whyMoana 2has broken so many commercial recordsalready. Both films are so easy for younger audiences to attach themselves to and feel seen by with resonant struggles.
Kubo & The Two Strings Has Rich Cultural Commentary Like Moana
The Kubo & Moana Films Are Inspired By Different Mythologies
KuboandMoana2have a source material similarity that binds them together, as they both explore cultural legends that are important to specific locations. The former offers a fresh, innovative look at the enchanting mythologies of ancient Japan, while the latter is an energetic and creative spin on classic Polynesian legends that are still alive today.These huge blockbuster releases give a voice to these myths and legends that weren’t previously well-known in the West,which it’s so important that they have been widely accepted across the world.
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.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Kubo and the Two Strings is a stop-motion animation film from Laika that follows a young boy named Kubo who lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village. His life is suddenly turned upside down when a spirit from the past visits him and re-ignites an age-old vendetta. Now on the warpath of various gods and creatures, Kubo must locate a legendary suit of armor worn by his late father.
