Dwayne Johnson Confirms 'Moana 3' Is Already in Development

Before the ink has even dried on the live-action reimagining, the Moana franchise is already charting its next animated chapter. Dwayne Johnson, who serves as both star and executive producer on the series, confirmed this week that a third installment in the beloved animated saga is in active discussion — a disclosure that underscores just how thoroughly Disney has committed to this particular corner of its mythology.

Johnson Makes the Announcement in Rio

Speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — part of what has shaped up to be an extensive global promotional push for the live-action film — Johnson offered the clearest signal yet that Moana's animated story is far from finished. "Yes, we have talked about Moana 3, yes," he told reporters, according to Just Jared. He was careful to sequence things properly, adding that the priority remains letting the live-action adaptation reach theaters first, but confirmed that writers Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller are already attached to pen the third animated feature.

The measured, almost stewardship-minded tone of Johnson's announcement reflects something meaningful about how the franchise has been managed. This is not a property being strip-mined for IP value alone — the same creative voices have guided each chapter, lending the series a coherent authorial identity unusual in franchise animation.

The Writing Team Behind the Mythology

Bush has been the architectural intelligence behind the Moana universe since its inception, scripting the original 2016 film and returning for the sequel. His portfolio at Disney is remarkable in its consistency: he also wrote Zootopia and its forthcoming sequel, as well as Encanto, a run of culturally specific, critically respected work that represents some of the studio's most thoughtful output of the past decade. Ledoux Miller joined the collaboration on Moana 2 and has continued through the live-action adaptation, and her inclusion in the Moana 3 plans suggests Disney views the writing partnership as the franchise's creative spine.

For context, this kind of deliberate continuity in animated storytelling — the same writers threading a world across multiple films — is relatively rare and worth appreciating. It's the difference between a franchise and a serial with genuine narrative ambition.

A Franchise Built on Genuine Box Office Muscle

The commercial case for continued expansion is difficult to argue against. The original Moana debuted in 2016 and earned $680 million globally, establishing the character as one of Disney Animation's most resonant heroines. Moana 2, released in 2024, surpassed all expectations: it set a record for Thanksgiving weekend with $225 million domestically before ultimately crossing $1.059 billion worldwide, making it one of the studio's most profitable animated films in recent memory. That kind of four-quadrant performance — drawing families, nostalgic adults, and younger audiences simultaneously — is exactly the foundation on which a studio builds a trilogy.

Live-Action First, Then the Next Chapter

Before Moana 3 can take shape, the live-action adaptation arrives in theaters on July 10th. Johnson reprises his role as the shape-shifting demigod Maui alongside Catherine Laga'aia, who steps into the title role originated in animation. The casting of Laga'aia, a Samoan-Australian performer, continues the franchise's meaningful commitment to authentic Pacific Islander representation — a choice that gave the original film much of its cultural weight and critical credibility.

The live-action gamble is not a small one. Disney's recent forays into the format have drawn mixed responses from audiences and critics alike, and the pressure on this particular adaptation is amplified by how warmly the animated originals are regarded. Whether the film earns the goodwill its predecessors accumulated will likely shape how aggressively the studio moves on Moana 3.

For now, Johnson's announcement positions the franchise as one of Disney Animation's most forward-looking properties — a serialized world with consistent creative stewardship and a proven audience. The question is not whether Moana 3 will happen, but what new story Maui and Moana have left to tell.

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