The Rock And His Wig Are Starring In 'Moana'

After months of waiting, Disney finally dropped the full trailer for the live-action Moana, and that alone was enough to get people talking. The hype was already there because Moana has stayed one of Disney’s most beloved modern franchises for years; Disney CEO Bog Iger said the original 2016 film crossed 1 billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most-streamed movie of 2023 on any platform in the U.S. So this wasn’t just another remake rollout — it felt like Disney cashing in on a movie people still genuinely love, while also betting that audiences want to see that world, those songs, and those characters brought to life in a new way.

And judging by the trailer, Disney is not being subtle about giving fans the hits. We see Catherine Laga’aia step into Moana’s world as the ocean-chosen wayfinder, with the footage teasing her journey beyond Motunui, her meeting with Maui, and the familiar mission to restore prosperity to her people. The trailer also leans hard into the recognizable stuff fans wanted back: “How Far I’ll Go,” the open water adventure, Heihei, Pua, Tamatoa, and the larger fantasy creatures that helped make the animated version such a phenomenon in the first place. The official synopsis says Moana answers the ocean’s call and voyages beyond the reef with Maui on an unforgettable journey, and the footage definitely sells that mix of nostalgia, spectacle, and big-screen musical energy.

But let’s be real: as soon as Maui popped up, a big chunk of the internet stopped talking about the canoe, the ocean, or the plot and started talking about The Rock’s hair. Dwayne Johnson’s live-action Maui look — long hair, tattoos, the full demigod presentation — instantly became one of the trailer’s biggest conversation points. Some fans were amused, some were impressed by how committed the transformation was, and some absolutely clowned the wig, calling it distracting and saying it looked more like cosplay than a seamless live-action translation. Johnson and director Thomas Kali have both explained that the look was carefully considered, especially since Maui’s hair is integral to the character and the team had to figure out how it would move, lift, and even look soaking wet during all those water scenes.

That’s also where the movie gets kind of wild behind the scenes, because Johnson wasn’t just throwing on a wig and calling it a day. He told Entertainment Weekly that becoming Maui meant working through an extra 40 pounds of prosthetics, hair, and body pieces, with the transformation taking about 2.5 hours each day. Kali said the team wanted a practical look with real texture rather than relying fully on visual effects, and Johnson said the process was grueling but meaningful because of how deeply he connects to Maui and the Polynesian roots of the story. So yes, the wig is funny internet bait, but it also represents how hard they went to make Maui feel huge, mythic, and physical in live action.

As for the movie itself, Moana hits U.S. theaters on July 10, 2026. It stars Catherine Laga’aia as Moana, with Dwayne Johnson reprising Maui, alongside John Tui as Chief Tui, Frankie Adams as Sina, and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. The film is directed by Thomas Kali and produced by Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with Auli’i Cravalho — the original voice of Moana — among the executive producers. The film features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, and Mark Mancina, with Mancina also composing the score. So, whether people end up loving the remake, debating whether it came too soon, or spending the next few months making wig jokes, one thing is clear: Disney knows exactly how much attention Moana still commands, and now The Rock’s hair is part of the rollout, whether anybody asked for it or not. Check out the film’s official trailer below and share your thoughts!

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The Rock And His Wig Are Starring In 'Moana' was originally published on globalgrind.com