Moana (film)

Moana is an upcoming computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. John Musker and Ron Clements (Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog) are working on a Polynesia situated computer-animated musical film, Moana. It is described as "mythic adventure set around 2000 years ago and across a series of islands in the South Pacific." . The film is expected to be released in 2018. Mark Mancina will compose the music for the film. Along side Mancina, Dave Metzger will conduct and organize an orchestra that will perform Moana's film score.

After directing The Princess and the Frog, Musker and Clements started working on an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Mort, but rights problems prevented them to continue with the project. To avoid similar problems, they pitched three new ideas, and in 2011 started developing the film based on an original idea.

Moana will be Musker and Clement's first fully computer-animated film. Moana Waialiki will be Disney's first Polynesian princess. Although initially rumoured to be made in hand-drawn/computer-animated technique introduced with Disney's short film Paperman, Musker said that it is "far too early to apply the Paperman hybrid technique to a feature. The Meander digital in-betweening interface still has a host of production issues (including color) that need to be perfected." According to Bleeding Cool, the film will feature a new, painterly style of CG. This will be the 57th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series.

It is rumored that the name has been changed to Spirited, following the adjective theme of Tangled, Brave, and Frozen. It is also said that the release date may have been moved up to 2017 from the original 2018, but neither has been confirmed.

Plot
The main character will be Moana Waialiki, a sea voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her family needs her help, she sets off on an epic journey. The film will also include demi-gods and spirits taken from real mythology.

Concept Art Controversy
Disney has denied that Moana's concept art is indeed for the movie, however that may not be the case. Disney denied that many leaked Frozen concept art pieces were real, but in the end they were released officially. The concept art for Moana was found on an official Disney artist's website, under a section where she talks about Moana. Additionally, the concept art has the artist's signature on it. It is possible that what Disney meant that the concept art no longer reflects what the film will look like, as the creators may have overhauled it. Such a situation is common in movie development, especially for movies that will not be out for half a decade. Some future Moana fans have their concept art already going and they have varied from a slim hula girl to a super buff sailor.