Disney has unleashed the first trailer for its live-action Moana, and within minutes, the internet made one thing extremely clear: fans are not holding back. What could have been a celebratory moment for Disney’s newest live-action remake instead turned into a tidal wave of skepticism, confusion, and full-blown roast sessions. The 2026 movie schedule release, starring Catherine Laga‘aia as the titular hero and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui, is already facing an uphill battle, and the initial fan reaction proves it.
The trailer, posted on Disney’s official YouTube channel, racked up views fast—but the comments section became a battleground even faster. After scrolling through thousands of comments, three major themes emerged. Here’s how viewers are reacting in the comments.
Why Are We Remaking A Movie That Isn’t Even 10 Years Old?
This sentiment is everywhere. Scroll one inch and you’ll find someone stunned that a 2016 film is already getting the remake treatment. Here are what fans in this camp are feeling:
- “There’s Treasure Planet, there’s Atlantis, there’s Princess and the Frog and we got a movie that isn’t 10 years yet?” – @oyinariv2739
- “Now we’re remaking movies that aren’t even ten years old.” – @hoodartificial5920
- “IT’S ONLY BEEN NINE YEARS!!!!! WE DO NOT NEED A REMAKE!!!!!” – @cyclops8238
- “This movie won’t even be 10 years old when the remake comes out!” – @Ninjagofan360
- “New rule: a film needs to be at least old enough to drink before it can be remade.” – @imjuil4108
- “Ah yes cause Moana 2016 is such an outdated film that definitely needed a remake.” – @SelfDescribedNerd
One commenter summed up the group in this camp: “Disney feels officially creatively bankrupt at this point.” But not everyone felt this way.
Why Moana Before Tangled, Princess and the Frog, or Atlantis?
Personally, if Disney insists on remaking their classics, I’ve always felt the smartest move is to revisit a film that isn’t already a modern classic; something with a great premise that never quite got its due. Based on the YouTube comments, a whole lot of fans feel the same way. Many are questioning why this movie is getting the live-action spotlight instead of titles fans have been begging for. Some of the standout reactions include:
- “A Moana remake before Tangled and Princess and the Frog is crazy.” – @kevin_jaimes35694
- “Moana getting a live action “remake” before Frozen is just hilarious.” – @CoreZeroPH
- “We could have gotten an Atlantis or Treasure Planet remake, but we got this.” @ItsHamberg3r
- “… I am surprised Disney hasn’t thought of remaking Treasure Planet or Atlantis, as those two films have so much potential in live action!”@snowsugardashietheaircatgi932
- “A prequel about Maui would’ve made way more sense.” – @richardhill6949
Notably, the live-action Tangled is reportedly back on track and will be hitting theaters before you know it. And then there were the viewers who took a playful jab at what they believe might be the real motivation behind the project:
- “Did they just make this because The Rock needed to show up personally?” – @voidedabsolution
- “I bet Dwayne Johnson was the one to push this movie to be made.” – @krysgg7600
Honestly? The idea of The Rock championing a project isn’t exactly far-fetched. He famously drove the creative push behind Black Adam and the attempt to recenter the DCEU around his character. But as sharp as these comments are, they lead directly into another, even more blunt camp of fan frustration.
Enough With The Live Action Remakes, Already
The third major wave of frustration centers on a familiar question: Why are we still doing these live-action remakes—especially when the footage looks more AI-generated than “live action”? A lot of viewers say the remake doesn’t look live-action at all, just heavily processed CGI with actors dropped in. Some of the standout comments include:
- “The term ‘Live Action’ is doing some real heavy lifting here.” – @jonnyboy1925
- “So basically it’s still animated, just with live humans inserted into it.” – @Aweschumm
- “This somehow looks more digital than the original movie did.” – @FoundFootage100
- “So much CG even the real footage looks animated.” – @LILGHETTI
- “This looks like those live-action concept trailers people would make in 2012.” – @autisticsonicfan
- “If you titled it ‘AI Fan-Made Moana Movie Teaser,’ I’d totally believe it.” – @jd38
One user, @spicychikn3336, dropped the line that might haunt Disney’s marketing team: “Disney… this looks fan-made… we have a problem here.”
It might sound like we’re cherry-picking negativity, but genuinely, the overwhelming majority of the comments fall into this exact tone. The reaction isn’t just mixed, but almost universally skeptical.
Whether the remake will ultimately win audiences over remains to be seen, but for now, the trailer’s reception suggests Disney might be facing its stormiest waters yet. Moana’s live-action remake hits theaters on July 10, 2026.