Maui's makeover: disney faces fan backlash over dwayne johnson's vaiana
Disney’s live-action ambitions have consistently stumbled, and the upcoming adaptation of Moana is already facing a significant hurdle: a profoundly divisive reimagining of Maui. The studio’s attempts to breathe new life into beloved animated classics often prove to be more problematic than profitable, and this project is no exception. This summer, Disney is betting big on a redo of 2016’s Vaiana, aiming to recapture the magic of Lilo & Stitch’s 2025 success. But the groundwork is shaky, with both the original 2016 film and its 2024 sequel performing exceptionally well at the box office—particularly the latter. The presence of Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui, a calculated gamble, remains the primary driver behind the project’s momentum.
n