Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteAuliʻi Cravalho’s “real struggle” was not a plot problem Moana faces in Moana 2. The actor was talking about the challenge of comparing a sequel with its predecessor—and the pressure of returning to a story that had become a major success. Cravalho says she had no hesitation about voicing Moana again, but recognized that the new film had to let its heroine, and the performance, grow.
What did Cravalho mean by “a real struggle”?
“I think there is always a real struggle not to compare one film to another, especially sequels,” Cravalho told TheWrap in December 2024. She was describing the pressure around making a follow-up to the 2016 animated film, not identifying a particular struggle in Moana’s story.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Moana 2 - Blu-ray + DVD + Digital | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Moana 2 | $14.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Moana 2 (2024) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/517ZpwUhnIL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Moana 2 (2024) [Blu-ray] | $27.13 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Moana 2 (2024) [4K UHD + Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Pyxtlub9L._SL160_.jpg)
|
Moana 2 (2024) [4K UHD + Blu-ray] | $39.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![Moana 2 [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41F6fxO1BFL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Moana 2 [4K UHD] | $41.99 | Buy on Amazon |
That distinction matters: the headline phrase can sound like a reference to the character’s troubles onscreen. In context, Cravalho means the expectation that a sequel will be measured against the original. She said returning to Moana felt like coming home, and joked that she would not let anyone else touch the character.
How has Moana changed in the sequel?
Moana 2 takes place three years after the first film. Moana is older, wears a new costume, and has new responsibilities. Cravalho said she listened to her earlier performance and realized she could not recreate the youthful quality of her voice from the first movie: her singing voice had developed in the intervening years, and the character’s maturation gave that change a place in the story.
#1 Best Overall
- Walt Disney Animation Studios? animated musical reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After hearing from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey into long-lost waters for an adventure. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Cravalho welcomed the idea of Moana growing alongside her. She also argued that seeing women age onscreen can make a story more effective. In a Broadway Direct interview, she called the sequel the first time a Disney princess had been allowed to age. That is Cravalho’s characterization of the milestone, rather than a formal Disney classification.
Why does Moana 2 feel different from the first film?
The story looks toward the future
Cravalho contrasts the films through their themes: “If our first film was focused on connecting with our past, this film is focused on connecting with our future — and I’m so glad that audiences also connect with that.” The Walt Disney Company’s official interview also describes the original as connecting Moana with the past and the sequel as turning toward the future. Cravalho calls Moana brave, loyal, resilient, and tenacious, while emphasizing that she still has more to learn and room to grow.
Rank #2
- Walt Disney Animation Studios? animated musical reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After hearing from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey into long-lost waters for an adventure. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Moana travels beyond Motunui with a crew
After a call from her ancestors, Moana and her friends venture farther into the Pacific in search of other people beyond Motunui, according to Broadway Direct. The sequel adds a crew, a new canoe, and Moana’s younger sister, Simea. Cravalho said she felt a responsibility to meet expectations while continuing the story.
The songwriting team changed
Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote songs for the original; Moana 2’s songwriting partnership was Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Cravalho described working with them as collaborative. She said the score moves among pop, Broadway-style numbers, rap, power ballads, and sing-alongs, as Broadway Direct reported.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their roles in this animated adventure sequel.
The film’s path to theaters changed
Moana 2 began development as a streaming series before Disney redirected it to theaters as the world and overarching story expanded, the Associated Press reported in November 2024. That production history offers context for the sequel’s broader cast and scope, but it does not change what Cravalho meant by “a real struggle.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How was Moana 2 received?
Critical reaction was not uniform. In its review, AP’s Jake Coyle called the film visually dazzling but less inspired than the first, and argued that the expanded cast and shifts in the studio’s plans left it feeling caught between imperatives. That is one critic’s assessment, not evidence of a wider consensus.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Walt Disney Animation Studios? animated musical reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After hearing from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey into long-lost waters for an adventure. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Rank #4
- Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their roles in this animated adventure sequel.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
