Now that we are entirely in the midst of fall, a new season of movies is drawing near. Whether you’re a teenager who grew up with Disney, a young kid, a Disney adult, or a general movie-lover, you may have heard that a sequel to “Moana” is coming out this November. The subject of sequels, especially Disney’s, is surrounded by mixed feelings.
“Moana 2” is set to release on Nov. 27, 2024. This is not the first time Disney has released a sequel to a beloved movie. “Cinderella II: Dreams Come True,” despite its cleverly rhymed title, was given an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, not well-received, and not nearly as beloved as its original. Its unpopularity begs whether Disney’s reputation for lesser sequels will affect the attendance of “Moana 2.”
Whether or not you’re a fan of Disney sequels, even low-rated ones, there are mixed opinions of the upcoming “Moana 2.”
“I’m honestly a little bit scared that it’s going to mess up what was an established cinematic universe,” said Carlmont sophomore Ben Mangiafico, when asked his opinions on the movie. “It could have a very good sequel, but I’m worried that Disney might not be able to deliver.”
Mangiafico’s statement was met with a similar opinion from senior Kate Ridgway, a leader of Carlmont’s Disney a capella choir Hakuna Fermata.
“I worry whenever Disney does a sequel or a remake, just because I think it always gets compared to the original, and most of the time, nothing can really compare to the original,” Ridgway said.
However, she also expressed excitement about seeing it with her friends and nostalgia for the original movie.
“I’m planning on going to see it with a few friends. We love the first Moana movie; we listen to the music when we’re getting ready,” Ridgway said. “I can’t actually remember when I saw it, but I do remember after watching it, my friends and I would always be talking about it, maybe singing the songs.”
Despite her worry about a lesser sequel, she is still planning to see it because of her love for the original.
Disney released another sequel earlier in 2024. “Inside Out 2” was released in June and was a smashing box office success. The same was the case with “Frozen 2,” which Disney released in 2019.
“Frozen,” “Inside Out,” and “Moana” are all among the top 50 of Disney’s box office numbers, according to The Numbers. The original Moana box office numbers were around $686 million. Numbers show that “Frozen 2” and “Inside Out 2” had higher box office numbers than their original popular counterparts, with “Inside Out 2” having the highest box office numbers in 2024. Even though they were sequels, people still went to see them.
Movie and Broadway lovers also know of the upcoming “Wicked” film, which will be released on Nov. 22, 2024. It was initially set to be released on Nov. 27, the same day as “Moana 2,” but was changed to avoid box office competition, according to Variety Magazine.
Carlmont senior Kimberly Garcia Cancio would rather see “Moana 2” over “Wicked” when posed with a choice.
“I know it better,” Garcia Cancio said.
To learn more: view the “Moana 2” trailer here.
