5 Apr - Dwayne Johnson is teaming up with Disney to develop a live-action remake of the 2016 Disney animated feature, "Moana". Johnson announced the news on social media with a video of him and his two daughters, and expressed, "This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people's grace, mana and warrior strength." "I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once in a lifetime opportunity to reunite with MAUI, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me."
"We're honoured to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which at the core is who we are as Polynesian people. Much more to come, but until then," he said. The movie will be produced via his Seven Bucks Productions, with Jared Bush, the original scribe of the animated feature returning to write the remake. Not many were excited about the news, however, as some netizens responded to the announcement saying that it is too soon for the 2016 film to be remade. Some also suggested that Disney develop an animated sequel instead of rehashing the same story under a different format. The 2016 "Moana", which tells the story of a chief's daughter chosen to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti, made USD 682.6 million at the box office.