Official Trailer for MOANA Debuts!

After a slight tease two days ago with the beautiful new poster that debuted, Disney Animation has finally followed up on their promise of debuting the new official trailer for November 23rd's Moana. This morning, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (voicing demigod Maui) and Good Morning America  brought us the new look at the Disney Animation epic, which you can watch in all of it's glory below. So without further ado, check out the official trailer for Disney's Moana after the break!

Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”) and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”), “Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.

Moana seems to be the perfect progression of what the Disney animated film should be. Fantastic settings and worlds. Charismatic and brave characters. Gorgeous music. It's everything a Disney animation fan has always wanted and then some. 

What is truly exciting about this official trailer is the emphasis on the character of Moana. I would be lying to you if I were to neglect the idea that the Moana marketing campaign thus far has more or less been the Maui (whom the promotional material never can say enough is being played by "The Rock") show. I was also concerned that- although the film may primarily center around our main protagonist Moana- the trailers wouldn't delve deep enough into the kind of character that Moana is because of the energy and charisma that the Dwayne Johnson name brings to the film. However, I am more than happy to report that this trailer exuberantly showcases the golden heart and soul of Moana while still leaving plenty of room for audience inquiry. As showcased in the trailer, we see Moana bravely tackle monstrous waves alongside her adventurous spirit of shuffling alongside a cave wall holding an ignited torch.

The adventurous spirit and inquisitiveness of Disney Princesses has been a staple primarily in the new Resurgence Era (Rapunzel in Tangled, Anna and Elsa in Frozen) and has been for over 20 years (Mulan and Pocahontas being the most vibrant examples). However, what's really exciting about Moana is how both these culturally sensitive character traits will be played by a young woman, Auli'i Cravalho, who has never been a voice actress before, let alone in a motion picture. Even more exciting is how the character of Moana isn't in the pursuit of a male love interest, but seemingly in pursuit of finding her true self and her culture. I'd also like to note how refreshing it is to see both of Moana's parents alive, as the common Disney trope of killing of the protagonists parents to create drama and loneliness is a boring and faded cinema sin. Moana seems to be reaching the highest Disney animation pinnacle in how it both plays alongside and against longstanding norms, and that is something truly worth the Walt Disney name. 

Moana sails into theaters this Thanksgiving.