Live-action Moana skips a post-credits scene entirely
Stay if you want, but there’s nothing waiting after the credits this time.
Fans heading into Disney's live-action Moana remake and expecting a cheeky extra after the credits like last time are in for a surprise – or a disappointment, depending on your outlook. The new version, out in cinemas on 10 July 2026, has ditched the animated original's tradition of tacking on bonus material after the film wraps up.
No Post-Credits Scene This Time... At All
Let's get straight to it: the live-action Moana does not bother with any post-credits scene. When those credits start rolling, that's your lot. No sneak peeks, teasers, or surprise cameos hidden at the end. So if you're a fan of reading every name in the VFX department in the hope of spotting something extra, you've got an easy night for once.
This is a bit of a swerve compared to the 2016 animated original. Back then, Disney ladled out all sorts of credits treats:
- Polynesian artwork (very lush, very on-brand) played out alongside the credits
- Wreck-It Ralph made a discreet cameo appearance right before the credits finished
- You’d get a little bonus scene featuring Tamatoa – the shiny, egomaniac crab – stuck on his shell, still craving attention and getting in a sly reference to The Little Mermaid’s Sebastian
- For the real anoraks: there was even a whispered Samoan phrase after the final Disney castle logo
The new film? None of that. Not even a wink or a nod.
Who's Making This Version?
Thomas Kail, best known for his stage work, is directing. Disney's ploughed a massive budget – somewhere between $200 and $250 million – into this one. They've brought back Dwayne Johnson as Maui (yes, he’s physically playing the demigod this time) and Catherine Laga'aia steps in as Moana.
The writing team is Jared Bush teamed up with Dana Ledoux Miller. Lin-Manuel Miranda returns for the music (which he missed out on for Moana 2 because he was tied up working on Mufasa: The Lion King).
Release, Reception & the Odd Delay
Disney originally flagged a June 2025 release, but then chucked it back by a full year, landing now on 10 July 2026. (They're making a thing of it coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the original Moana – nice little marketing flourish, that.) The delay happened not long after they announced Moana 2, so make of that what you will.
As for early critical reaction, it's fair to say the new Moana isn't quite making Disney executives break out the party poppers. On Rotten Tomatoes, it's floating at 36% from 70 reviews – not stellar. Metacritic isn’t much kinder, dropping a middling 45 out of 100 from 30 critics.
Early box office estimates put the opening weekend in the $60–65 million range for the US, showing in 3,875 cinemas nationwide.