Moana 3 gets a new update from Moana 2 co-director Dana Ledoux Miller, who expresses optimism regarding the franchise's future. After the 2016 original movie became a major hit on Disney+, it was confirmed that the in-development possibility of a Moana 3, which Disney has not yet officially announced.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant while attending the 2025 Golden Globes, Miller, who co-directs the sequel alongside David G. Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand, shares an update regarding Moana's future. While he doesn't explicitly confirm that a third animated movie will happen, he recognizes that the franchise is clearly striking a chord with viewers, which bodes well for the live-action remake coming in 2026 and future projects beyond that. Check out his comment below:

I think that the fact that so many people have come out to see this movie means that there's a lot of love for Moana. In a year and a half I have another film coming out, it's the live-action Moana, so there's a lot of Moana love to go around. And who knows what else is next.

What Moana 2's Success Means For Moana 3

Why A Third Animated Movie Is Likely

As Miller says, there is certainly a lot of love for the Moana franchise. The original movie was a box office success in 2016, grossing $643 million worldwide, but it really took off when it hit Disney+, quickly becoming one of the streaming platform's most-watched titles ever. Moana 2's box office has cemented the franchise's status as a major Disney hit, and the sequel has, as of writing, grossed an impressive $960 million worldwide.

Even though the Moana 2 reviews haven't been quite as positive as those for the original, due in large part to the movie starting life as a TV show, the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (see chart below) is proof that general viewers want more adventures from the titular protagonist. The sequel's success means the live-action Moana is already on sure footing to become a hit, but Disney will surely not want to let the franchise languish after this film's release. It seems very likely that Moana 3 will eventually be confirmed to be in development.

Our Take On A Potential Moana 3

How It Could Improve On The Sequel

If Moana 3 starts life as a movie, as opposed to a TV show, it could fix many complaints about the sequel, which is ultimately less focused and more haphazardly structured than its predecessor. The Moana 2 ending provides a satisfying conclusion for Moana (Auli'i Cravalho), but it also leaves the door open for further adventures, and it would be exciting to see the character return for at least one more sea-faring quest alongside Dwayne Johnson's Maui.

Johnson will reprise his role as Maui in the live-action remake.

After a rough 2023, 2024 marked a major improvement for Disney from a financial perspective, and the company will want to keep this positive momentum going. Doubling down on a tried-and-true franchise like Moana seems like an obvious next step, but avoiding franchise fatigue with the live-action remake will also be key. It remains to be seen whether Moana 3 will happen, but it certainly seems like a safe bet that it will.