7 Big Differences Between The Live-Action 'Moana' Movie & The Original

Moana (2026) is the latest live-action remake of a Disney animated classic, albeit a relatively recent one. Just a decade after Moana (2016) became a hit and Moana 2 (2024) pushed the titular character down a more epic path, the live-action remake doesn’t so much reimagine the titular hero as much as embrace the original story in a new form. For the most part, the movie is very similar to the animated film, following Moana as she sets off to save her village by restoring the Heart of Te Fiti alongside the demigod Maui.

However, there are some subtle touches in the remake that speak to a different tone and comedic impulses. While some small scenes have been added and a few gags have been tweaked, the heart of the film feels consistent with what happened in the original. Here are the biggest changes between the original Moana and the live-action remake.

The Live-Action Moana Isn’t As Silly As The Original 

The biggest difference between the two versions of Moana is the sense of humor. While both movies find room for jokes and have fun with character beats, the transition to live-action has removed many of the comedic expressions and wacky turns that appeared in the original movie. This is most pronounced with Maui.

While Dwayne Johnson’s hulking demi-god still gets plenty of jokes, he’s a lot less silly in this version. Instead, the live-action version leans into the more human elements of the character, playing up how tired he is from the full circumstances of his experiences. It’s a minor tweak that largely comes across in scenes that are otherwise very faithful to the source material. Still, it all helps sell the idea that Moana and Maui are meant to be real people as opposed to the more outlandish versions who are more acceptable in the cartoon reality of the original film.

“You’re Welcome” Has Been Tweaked

Most of the songs in Moana are largely the same as the original film, albeit with a bit more genuine cultural authenticity from the Polynesian dancers. The song with the biggest tweaks is “You’re Welcome,” sung by Maoi once Moana confronts him. The song is still the same from a lyrical perspective, but the actual visuals have been changed to make them more consistent with the live-action film.

The mystical touches are toned down a bit. At the same time, all of Maui’s moves are more rooted in replicating his mystical acts with rock murals and people made of sand than the technicolor visuals that make up the original song. The live-action version also leans more heavily into Maui’s tricky personality, as he’s more overtly trying to lure Moana away from her boat that he intends to steal. There aren’t many differences, but it does underscore the way the live-action movie has tweaked the demigod for the sake of the film.

Moana’s Stone Is More Important (And She Gets A Coronation) 

One of the more moving visual elements of Moana is the stack of stones that serves as markers of the chiefs on Motunui. Moana is meant to be the next stone, which informs a new scene for the live-action movie where a nervous Moana can’t decide which kind of stone she wants to make her own. By the end of the film, Moana has realized her true passion and has chosen to place a conch on the stones, signifying her commitment to the sea and her people.

This also happens in the live-action film, but comes as part of an on-camera coronation where Moana is formally inducted into the chieftain role alongside her father. It’s a cute expansion of the scene from the original movie, adding a bit more context to that aspect of the story and giving Moana’s efforts to try to be part of the village’s history a more personal connection.

We Spend A Little More Time With Moana’s Dad 

For the most part, Moana’s parents are very similar to the versions who appeared in the original film. However, her father gets a bit of extra depth and history. He’s not as quick to anger as his animated equivalent, refusing to throw the Heart and not lashing out at his daughter.

The film even adds a new beat during his conversation with Moana about the longboats, suggesting that his mother had also shown him the ships when he was young. This presents a sad new element to the story, as it suggests that his efforts to venture out into the wider ocean, an action that killed his cousin in the live-action movie and his best friend in the original animated one, may have been spurred on by those beliefs set up by his mother.

The Live-Action Moana Shows The Blight Hit Motunui

While both movies give Moana motivation to leave her island home because of the dying crops on their island, the live-action movie adds a few quick shots back at the island to showcase why Moana’s mission is so important. A quick cutaway back to the island during Moana’s mission reveals that more and more of the plant life on the island is dying, leaving the Chief at a loss for what to do and the inhabitants more on edge.

Then, once Moana is able to save the day, we see the blight on the island caused by the loss of Te Fiti quickly reverse once she has saved the day. It’s a little touch that reinforces the idea that Moana’s quest was a necessary mission, underscoring the price of failure and highlighting just how important her success was for the future of her tribe and the world at large.

Hei Hei Gets A Few Cute New Beats 

Hei Hei, the chicken, is the goofy animal sidekick in both versions of Moana, providing a lot of comic relief during the more dramatic beats of the film. The character is largely the same in both versions, although the live-action movie takes a few different tracks with the chicken.

While Hei Hei is still the most openly cartoonish part of the movie, Hei Hei also gets a bit more of a connection with Maui, who even takes the chicken flying with him during his training montage to relearn his abilities. Hei Hei also cheers more proudly when he helps save the Heart of Te Fiti at the end of the film, suggesting the chicken has a greater sense of awareness and intellect than the animated version.

The Credits Song Is A New Track 

The biggest difference between these versions of Moana comes into play during the credits, which feature a new song. “Along the Way” was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and serves as a song about connecting the past to the future. The song is original to the live-action movie, featuring new lyrics from not just Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson, but also Auli’i Cravalho, who played Moana in the original animated film.

The new musical number is a cute concept, helping further the connection between the original movie and the remake, while also playing into the overarching themes of the narrative. It’s a nice final touch that lets the original movie and modern remake build on what came before and chart out a path for the future.