Composer Reveals Moana 2 Transition from TV Series to Film: Major Changes and Cut Songs Explained

Disney’s Moana 2 has taken an unexpected turn, transitioning from an originally planned television series into a blockbuster film sequel. Composer Mark Mancina has detailed this transformation, which comes on the heels of Moana 2’s impressive box office performance. Over the recent Thanksgiving weekend, the film achieved record earnings, accumulating $52 million and pushing its domestic total to $300 million, outpacing Frozen II’s $35.2 million during the same timeframe in 2019. The aim of continuing Moana’s journey was always to deepen her narrative and connection to the Polynesian-inspired island of Motunui, yet a film adaptation was not the first choice for the creators.

In an interview with Owen Danoff from Screen Rant, Mancina elaborated on the evolution of Moana 2, particularly how the decision to shift from a television series to a movie altered the storyline, the music, and the production timeline. When prompted about the extent of changes to the original story, Mancina acknowledged that while some fundamental elements from the TV series were retained, the storyline underwent a significant reimagining. Below is an excerpt from his insightful discussion:

As a matter of fact, yes, we did. In fact, some of the music that we wrote for the TV series, which was intended for different kinds of things, morphed into the movie. It wasn’t like they just took the TV series story and made it into a movie.
They rewrote the entire thing.

Of the songs we crafted early on, the only one that made it was “We’re Back” , the first song. We developed a couple of other songs, like “Goat” and “Two Pieces of Me” , which were really good, but they didn’t fit the storyline anymore. Even though we were close to finishing them, they didn’t make the final cut. They may be released in the future.

Mancina also shared insights about the film’s inception, revealing it was initially conceived as a 10-part series. When asked if Moana’s adventure to Motufetū was planned from the start, he indicated that although it was included, the motives behind it differed from the film’s direction. He further highlighted the stringent timeline imposed on the production:

It had that in it, but not for those reasons. Because it was a 10-part series, or whatever it was,
they had so much time to spend on character development and exploration. They didn’t really have to rush into the main part of the story, which I don’t believe was fully fleshed out. We only had rough versions of one or two episodes, and I think they pieced together number three, but it was very early-stage.

When they decided to turn it into a movie, I initially thought we would have a script ready in two or three weeks. However, we didn’t receive the final movie script until May, giving us
only five months to complete the project. It was indeed a tight schedule.

Implications for Moana 2

From Series to Silver Screen

The transition from a TV series to a feature film posed significant challenges for the Moana 2 team, necessitating major revisions to the story and soundtrack while compressing the production timeline. Nevertheless, these challenges helped the creative team ensure that Moana 2 remains true to the essence of the original film. While the series format could have offered deeper character exploration, the decision to pursue a film format ultimately provided a greater opportunity to deliver a compelling and impactful narrative to audiences.

Insights into Moana 2’s Transformations

A Strategic Business Decision

Actress Auli'i Cravalho as Moana in Moana 2.

Moana 2‘s swift pivot from series to film showcases the adaptive and innovative nature of contemporary filmmaking. Although it may be disappointing for fans that certain songs and storylines did not survive in the final cut, this strategic shift highlights Disney’s commitment to delivering new narratives in the most commercially viable formats. Mancina’s behind-the-scenes commentary underscores the remarkable dedication and artistry that goes into these projects, regardless of their release format. Despite the pressure it placed on the artists involved, this decision is likely to be fruitful, potentially paving the way for similar outcomes in future sequels and the eagerly awaited live-action adaptations.

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