Moana 2has a mid-credits scene that sets up the franchise’s future, but it may not have been the original direction. The titular Polynesian princess returns to the big screen, where she faces a powerful god Nalo, who sinks the island of Motufetu to disconnect the tribes from each other. Despite overcoming him atthe end ofMoana 2, the mid-credits scene reveals thatNalo wanted revenge against Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson).
In an interview withCollider, directors David Derrick Jr and Dana Ledoux Miller were asked if they were hesitant about adding a mid-credits scene. While the filmmakers agreed that the scene was “baked in,” Miller admitted thatthe moment had last-minute changessince it kept evolving. Read their response below:
Derrick Jr.: It was baked in.
Miller: Itwasbaked in, but there was a last-minute change to it. It was something that kept evolving the way the rest of the story did. I think the foundation of it was we introduced a demigod and a god into the world, and we really just like the idea of having a little bit more.
What This Comment Means For Moana’s Future
This Likely Changed Due To The Drastic Shift From TV Series To Movie
While the directors don’t specify what exact changes were made inMoana 2’s mid-credits scene, it seems apparent that this decision was likely made afterthe format was shifted from a TV series to a movie. The Disney sequel was originally supposed to be a series that would follow the titular heroine’s adventures alongside introducing new characters. Although much of the work was completed before the shift, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that the Disney+ series was being reworked into a movie in February 2024.
Motufetū Island & Moana’s Vision In Moana 2 Explained
Moana received a vision in Moana 2 that guided her toward her next goal - to break the curse the god Nalo placed on an important island, Motufetū.
While the decision to make it a movie worked in Disney’s favor, with the sequel already breaking many box office records, the format change also came at an expense.Reviews forMoana 2have been lukewarm, particularly with issues stemming from the weak plot and not-so-catchy songs. Any in-depth storytelling was possibly cut to condense the multiple-episode series into a less than two-hour movie. This becomes clear whennewMoanacharacters, like Moni, Loto, and Keke, provide little to the heroine’s story aside from being crew members who help with her adventure.
Nevertheless, it seems drastic steps were taken to continue the franchise on the big screen, which meant to keep some critical characters in play.
It’s also possible that before the announcement there were possible discussions about a third movie. If so, that would further explain the last-minute change to the mid-credits scene sothat Matangi and Nalo remain major players in the next installment. So far,Disney has not confirmed aMoana 3at this time, although it is pretty inevitable that the news will come very soon. Nevertheless, it seems drastic steps were taken to continue the franchise on the big screen, which meant keeping some critical characters in play.
Our Take On The Last Minute Change To Moana 2’s Mid-Credits Scene
Hopefully, This Will Be Made Up WithMoana 3.
I will admit thatMoana 2was missing some of the best elements from the first movie, and a lot of that was due to the lackluster story. It wasn’t as deep as Moana’s inspiring adventure in the first film, and much of the plot was loose.
Now, that I read about this last-minute decision, I can’t help but wonder if the sudden change to a movie format is what caused the quality to dip inMoana 2. Even the directors say later in the interview that they did make cuts to the movie, and Cravalho confirmed recently that some songs were cut. At this point, I can only hope that they can make up for this withMoana 3and make sure they have a secure plan this time without any more last-minute changes.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
