Bow down, Pixar. Disney animated movies rule once again.
In a pretty cool irony, the Disney renaissance has occurred under the leadership of Pixar guru John Lasseter. While the brand he founded gravitates toward safe sequels, Lasseter has allowed the Disney slate to forge ahead with fresh takes on fairy tales with no built-in audience, or brand new tales that are entirely original.
From Tangled to Frozen to Zootopia, Disney has been hitting it out of the park, not only recapturing the magic of their 1990s era but also becoming the new industry standard for consistent quality. One of the keys, I think, is that Disney continues to craft stories that thread an impressive needle of being equally exciting for both boys and girls.
If this epic, thrilling, and funny new trailer is any indication, Moana will continue that streak in bold fashion.
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin), Moana is the story of a young Pacific island woman (voiced by newcomer Auli’i Carvalho) who fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors with the help of the demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson).
With songs co-written by Hamilton Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, Moana co-stars the voices of Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk. It opens this Thanksgiving, November 23, 2016.
Look great. And I love that they are are telling us a story not set in the prototypical fairy tale land we have seen so many times 🙂
Agreed. It’s still the familiar (and beloved) Disney template but in, um, a whole new world. 🙂