Disney thankfully scrapped a horrible decision for its upcoming live-action remake of Moana. The House of Mouse’s live-action remakes have been hit or miss. While Disney’s had a few billion-dollar successes, like 2025’s Lilo & Sтιтch and 2019’s The Lion King, the studio has also produced some box office bombs, like 2025’s Snow White.

2026’s Moana is a surefire hit for the studio, especially after Moana 2 made $1 billion, but Disney almost made a disastrous mistake. In a report from The Wall Street Journal, Disney had plans to collaborate with Metaphysics to create deepfakes of Dwayne Johnson’s face for Maui. The deepfakes would then be layered over a performance by Tanoai Reed, Johnson’s cousin.

While the deepfakes would have only been used in a few sH๏τs, it would have allowed the Black Adam actor to not be on set every day. This plan was ultimately scrapped by Disney due to legal concerns, but it’s for the better. A deepfake of Johnson would have been a disastrous decision, even if it was planned for minimal use.

A Deepfake Dwayne Johnson As Maui Would’ve Ruined Moana’s Remake

Deepfake technology has come a long way, but it’s still far from perfect. While Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One was impressive, the effect hasn’t aged gracefully. Even in 2024’s Alien: Romulus, the deepfake of Ian Holm’s Ash looked distracting, and detracted from what was otherwise a pretty great sci-fi horror film.

Even if Johnson’s deepfake was minimally used, it likely would still have been distracting, especially when it was not necessary. The Rock’s face is too recognizable, and he shouldn’t be digitally placed in Moana as Maui when he can be there physically the whole time. The effect would likely look better than his role in The Mummy Returns, but it would still be noticeable.

The other issue is that AI technology is still controversial, and can damage a film’s reputation. Much of the public is still against the use of AI in film, and a deepfake of Johnson could set a troubling precedent regarding other digital stand-ins. Disney’s live-action remakes don’t need any more controversy after the Snow White disaster, and the use of AI could hurt how the film performs.

After Lilo & Sтιтch, Disney proved there is still a market for these films, and 2026’s Moana is likely a guaranteed hit. It’s one of the studio’s most marketable properties, and plenty of people will go to theaters just to hear the iconic soundtrack. Disney dodged a bullet by ditching the deepfake idea, keeping the movie in the right direction.