Moana

Upon its groundbreaking release, you couldn’t go far without hearing a short snippet from Disney’s animated extravaganza Moana. From the song blaring in retail stores’ loudspeakers to folks selecting one of the film’s songs for karaoke, we’re not exaggerating when we say it was everywhere. But when exactly did the movie come out? Starring ever-popular acting superstar Dwayne Johnson, Moana memorably gained a wide cult following and renowned praise — with particular focus being on its soundtrack, animation, and vocal…

Image: DisneyThe Little Mermaid is only the newest of Disney’s animated adaptations. As live-action takes on Moana, Hercules, Lilo and Stitch, and Snow White are all churning their way through the Mouse House production factory, the man leading the “reimagination” is Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey, who has at least 50 more projects waiting in the wings. Don’t Mess With Luthen and His Fricking Lasership | Andor ReviewThis figure comes courtesy of a new profile in the New York Times. Bailey—whose “division makes…

Could another Resident Evil movie be on the way? The live-action Moana remake has found its director. Get a glimpse into Barbie’s dream house. Taika Waititi talks about the struggle of writing his Star Wars movie. Plus, what’s coming on Superman & Lois and Gotham Knights. To me, my spoilers!Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard Nerd Out About Jurassic Park's Returning HeroesThe Thing 2During a recent appearance at Texas Frightmare Weekend (via Creepy Catalog), John Carpenter stated there “may” be a sequel to The Thing…

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney The internet loves few things more than a far-fetched conspiracy theory surrounding a high-profile celebrity, so it’s easy to see why so many people latched onto the belief that Dwayne Johnson is the number one driving force behind Disney’s live-action remake of Moana. After all, not only was he announced to be reprising the role of Maui in the big budget do-over, but he’s also producing through his Seven Bucks company as well. That isn’t a role he held on…

Image: LegoAlthough most people’s thoughts turn towards getting outside and soaking up the sun when June arrives, for Lego fans, it’s just another month to hunker down with a thick instruction book and thousands of plastic bricks. Although June arrives with dozens of new Lego sets in tow, we’ve sifted through the impending arrivals and highlighted the best sets to add to your collection.Leading the charge in June is the new Batman Batcave Shadow Box that will scratch both display and play itches, as well as another…

Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images It was inevitable that Moana was going to be remade one day seeing as virtually every animated Disney feature worth its salt is going to be subjected to the live-action treatment sooner rather than later, but eyebrows were nonetheless raised when the project was officially announced a mere six and a half years after the original debuted in theaters. However, things began to make a little more sense when it was also confirmed that Dwayne Johnson would not just be acting as…

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeMoana fans are applauding Auli’i Cravalho, the young actor who voiced the titular character of the 2016 animated movie, for her “respectful” decision to sit out of the film’s forthcoming live-action remake. A month after Dwayne Johnson announced that a live-action retelling of the popular Disney movie was “in the works”, Cravalho confirmed she would not be reprising her lead role.“When…

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9's regular roundup of the coolest toy news around. This week: Wonder Woman’s iconic jet becomes a little more visible, Hot Toys heads back to the Clone Wars for a surprising Palpatine pull, and Lego drops a ton of new reveals. Check it out!Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard Nerd Out About Jurassic Park's Returning HeroesImage: LegoLego Up-Scaled Lego MinifigureEarlier this year, Lego revealed a supersized 11.8-inch tall version of its iconic Captain Redbeard minifigure, built from 1,041…

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9's regular round-up of the coolest toy news. This week’s toys include Lego continuing to drop more Disney 100 treats, Hot Toys flexing for The Dark Knight movies, and a colossal Jurassic World dino. Check it out!A Transformer Is Headed to the MoonImage: LegoLego Disney 100 Years of Disney Animation IconsReminiscent of Lego’s Brick Sketches line, but on a smaller scale, this 1,022-piece Disney Animation Icons art set includes hundreds of tiny tile pieces and 12 8x8-stud plates that can be…

Nostalgia has long been an important part of the creative industry, particularly as it relates to film and TV. There’s so many reboots and revivals these days you could fill a modest paperback, but not all of them are created equal. And by that same token, they’re not announced and received equally, either.Earlier in the week, Disney announced that a live-action remake of its 2015 animated film Moana is in the works, with star Dwayne Johnson set to return. Disney also recently announced a live-action Aristocats—and those…