Walt Disney Animation Studios started eight years ago MoanaThe story of a young Polynesian girl chosen by the ocean itself to embark on a dangerous adventure. Moana had to return the lost heart to the goddess Te Fiti and thus restore the balance of nature. Along the way, she befriends the arrogant but lovable demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Not only Moana It was a huge box office success and is now the most streamed animated film on Disney+ since the service launched. Disney announced a Moana cartoon series a few years ago. But the project was soon reimagined as a cinematic sequel. Moana 2is coming to theaters this fall.

In September, Nerdist and others were invited to Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California, for a behind-the-scenes look at the highly anticipated film Moana 2. We were able to watch the first half hour of the film, which took place three years after the events of that first, now classic film. In this new adventure, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho), now big sister to three-year-old Simea, receives a message from her Wayfinding ancestors. She puts together her own Wayfinder crew and reunites with Maui. This time she must break the god Nalo's curse on the hidden island of Motufetu, which once connected the people of the ocean. The Moana 2 The animation we saw was truly stunning. And judging by the first thirty minutes, this film has all the heart and joy of the original Moana Film still intact.

After watching the first half hour of the film, we were part of a question and answer session Moana 2 Directors David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller (who also served as writer) and writer and executive producer Jared Bush. The makers have shared several images and concept art from Moana 2 as well as. That was pirates of the Caribbean Author Dana Ledoux Miller's first animated film and when he was asked if he wanted to enter the world of Moanashe remembered seeing the original when it came out. “I still remember sitting in the theater. The lights go out and over the bumper the first sounds, the first voices are Samoan. And in that moment I realized that a Disney film that would become one of the greatest Disney films of all time would forever change the way people saw Pacific Islanders.”

Miller continued, “I knew this would change the way I could tell stories. I didn't know at that moment that I would ever be a part of telling Moana's story. And then I was lucky enough to be hired as a co-writer on the live-action adaptation Moana with Jared Bush. It was an incredible shared experience. And he said, 'Hey, so we're doing this over at Disney Animation.' Would you be interested in coming over and playing?' And so I was hired as a consulting writer.”

Originally, Moana's story was supposed to continue in a Disney+ animated series. But eventually plans developed and these stories coalesced Moana 2. How did the story change when the format changed? Director David G. Derrick said, “Jason and I initially came from feature film animation backgrounds. And so we did the same thing with the series. Every artist who has worked on it would basically say the same thing – that it needs to make it to the big screen. History will tell us what it wants to be. And when we finally listened to the story and heard the response from all the artists and creators involved, we realized that it was meant for the big screen and that's what we wanted.”

Three years pass between the original Moana film and its sequel Moana 2. How has our main character changed during this time? According to author Dana Ledoux Miller, they really didn't want to change Moana too much. “Let’s not reinvent who Moana is. We're not trying to change them, we're trying to expand their world.” She added: “What's their next evolution? And that's exactly how we shaped this story. This is a movie about learning Moana. She grows up and learns that you never stop deciding who you are. We say that in the film, but we really believe it. She has embarked on this journey and is now looking to the future. And you know, when we all grow up, we think we know exactly who we are, and then something changes.”

Of course, the music was a big part of the original film's success. How did the filmmakers work with the music team this time? Moana 2? Dave Derrick shared, “That's a big part of storytelling, isn't it?” Each key moment is designed as a musical and told through song. And we tell Moana's emotional journey through the film's music. When we were with Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow, they came in and we actually had a piano in our story room. And they played the opening song for us, the first song they wrote for the film. And hearing this song, being transported back to the world of Moana It was so exciting in a musical way.”

Although almost the entire original cast is returning, Disney has introduced a ton of new characters Moana 2. Some of them are, as Dana Ledoux Miller explains, “moanabes.” These are girls who adore Moana and are the Swifties of the Moana universe. Most notable among the new additions, however, is Moana's new wayfinding crew. These include the young and idealistic Loto, the island's “grumpy old man” Kele, and Moni, a young woman who accompanies them on the journey. Commenting on the new additions, co-director Jason Hand said: “I love all the new characters. From the crew, from Sumia, from the Mysterious Matangi and finally that god of storms, Nalo.” From what we've seen, the new Moana 2 All of the characters make an immediate impression without overshadowing the original characters.

When we talked about the recurring characters from the first film, the filmmakers had to talk about Maui Moana 2. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's demigod stole the show in the first film and looks to do the same in the sequel.

Dana Ledoux Miller said about Maui in MoanaContinued: “I really love the relationship between Moana and Maui. They were a lot of fun in that first film and a lot of fun in this film. We don't want them to get along all the time. Who cares? In the original, a meaningful friendship really developed between them. It changed them both and took them to new places. We have this demigod who is strong, he has been through so much and has a very complicated relationship with humanity. But now his best friend is human. And so it creates a vulnerability that we’ve never seen from him before and pushes him to new places.”

Cultural authenticity was also very important to the filmmakers when designing the film Moana 2. Dave Derrick quickly told us, “We do a lot of research. And every single thing on the screen is designed; it is researched. This is all due to our employees who actually have a Pacific Island heritage or an Oceanic cultural trust. And for me, someone who is actually outside of that culture, the generosity that has been shown to me in passing on the knowledge of the Polynesian Voyaging Society to every single one of our advisors who comes from another part of, say, Tahiti or elsewhere, it was incredible.”

Since the film is set three years later, there have been slight visual updates Moana 2. Derrick said: “Especially for Moana, she’s a little older and her hair is a little different. We wanted to make sure it was the same Moana we know and love. My favorite character growing up is Pua (Moana's pet pig). If you look closely, Pua is a little taller, a little stockier. And he's got a cute little baby tusk that sticks out sometimes.” As for possibly the most popular character from the first film, Moana's poofy rooster, Heihei? Dana Ledoux Miller said with a laugh: “He’s as stupid as he’s ever been. And why should you change that? When something works, it just works, you know?” We're not the one to argue against that logic.

Moana 2 hits theaters November 27th.