While Walt Disney Animation Studios used to traffic pretty heavily in musicals, around the time they dropped 2D animation, the studio also moved to a more Pixar-like, non-musical format. Song-and-dance Disney movies made a comeback in a big way with 2013’sFrozen, and while Disney’s subsequent animated films were also successful,Big Hero 6andZootopiareturned to a straight narrative, song-less format. That changes with the release ofMoananext month, and now Disney is unveiling one of the film’s original songs that has none other thanDwayne Johnsonshowing off his pipes.
In thisMoanaclip, Johnson sings an original song written by multiple Tony Award-winningHamiltoncreator/starLin-Manuel Mirandacalled “You’re Welcome.” Miranda composed original songs for the Pacific Island-set musical alongsideOpetaia Foa’IandMark Mancina, and fans of both Disney andHamiltonalike are no doubt eager to see what he put together for the feature film.
The movie originated with a script byWhat We Do in the ShadowsandThor: RagnarokfilmmakerTaika Waititi(with subsequent writers furthering the story/screenplay) and takes place on a mystic island in Polynesia, where a young princess named Moana sets sail in search of a fabled island with demigod Maui in tow. Johnson voices Maui, and for the creation of the moving tattoos on his chest, Disney animators infused the CG-animated film with old school 2D animation.
While kids no doubt remember how Disney dominated the musical format in the 90s, the studio’s only iconic musical output of the 21st century thus far isFrozen. Here’s hopingMoana’s another winner in the same vein.
Check out theMoanaclip below. Directed byRon ClementsandJohn Musker(The Little Mermaid), the film also features the voices ofAuli’I Cravalho,Temuera Morrison,Nicole Scherzinger,Rachel House,Jemaine Clement,Alan Tudyk, andHamiltonstarPhillipa Soo.Moanaopens in theaters on November 23rd.
