Moana 2‘s 61% on Rotten Tomatoes means that it was a huge critical disappointment for Disney, but the sequel does set the stage for Moana 3 to be better thanks to one big difference. Up until recent years, it was rare for Walt Disney Animation Studios to make a sequel, with Ralph Breaks the Internet in 2018 kicking off a trend that has culminated in movies like Frozen II and Moana 2. Unfortunately, Moana 2 was a major disappointment when compared to its predecessor, although Moana 3 is avoiding the sequel’s biggest problem.

2016’s Moana is one of the most successful new Disney franchises in decades, with it immediately becoming beloved by fans and critics alike. After Moana‘s success, Disney immediately began finding ways to expand the franchise. A Moana TV series for Disney+ was announced, and while it was canceled, Moana 2 and a live-action Moana remake entered development. Although Moana 3 hasn’t been announced yet, it is expected based on Moana 2‘s box office success. However, many fans are hoping that Moana 3‘s critical success story is far different from its predecesso r’s.

Moana 2 Suffered Because It Was Originally A TV Show

Before Being Turned Into A Movie

Most fans of the original Moana agree that Moana 2 was a disappionting follow-up. Interestingly, this is in large part due to the fact that Moana 2 was originally a TV show. The aformentioned Moana Disney+ series was in the works for a while, with Moana: The Series being announced by Disney in 2020 with a 2023 release window. The Moana Disney+ show was continually developed for years, with updates on the show being given until 2023. Although very little was known about the series, it semeed like it was going to be releasing soon.

However, this didn’t end up happening. According to people who worked on Moana 2, Walt Disney Studios informed the team that Moana: The Series needed to be turned into Moana 2 in January 2024, less than a year before its November 2024 release date. This led to the mad dash to convert the five-episode Disney+ series into a movie that could be released in theaters. Disney officially announced the existence of Moana 2 to the public in February 2024, with the change from the Disney+ series to the theatrical sequel raising some eyebrows.

Unfortunately, Moana 2‘s TV series origins can really be felt in the final product. The quality definitely feels like a streaming TV show rather than a proper sequel, and while the animation is nice, it isn’t all that much better than the 2016 movie. On top of that, the middle of Moana 2 feels very episodic, with many fans believing that they can tell where each of the five episodes began and ended. Some parts feel rushed, and the underdevloped side characters in Moana 2‘s cast definitely feel like they were ripped straight from a TV show.

Moana 3 Would Have To Be Planned As A Theatrical Movie

Avoiding Moana 2’s Biggest Problem

Moana 2‘s streaming origin was the root of most of its problems, but luckily this isn’t something that Moana 3 will have to worry about. The pivot from Moana: The Series to Moana 2 came as a result of the financial failures of Disney+. Disney was originally planning on capitalizing on successful properties with Disney+ shows, although the company eventually realized that this wasn’t working out. Some shows were canceled outright, such as Tiana, others had their plans altered, like the MCU shows, and others were converted into movies, like Moana 2.

Since Moana 2 was a mᴀssive box office success, Moana 3 would undoubtedly be a big-budget theatrical movie from its inception. It would be weird for Disney to cheap out on Moana 3 after it saw the success of its predecessor. Plus, Disney has already learned its lesson about large original programming on Disney+. It would be unthinkable for Disney to begin development on another Moana show only to turn it into Moana 3. Thus, if Moana 3 does happen, it will probably be a show from the very first steps of pre-production.

The Setup For Moana 3 Is Exciting

Based On Moana 2’s Post-Credits Scene

Moana 3 may not be officially announced yet, but Moana 2 has already created an incredibly exciting set up for the next sequel. Moana 2 has a post-credits scene, with it featuring Nalo and Matangi, the villains from the film. The duo, along with Moana‘s Tamatoa, join forces, teasing that they will work together in a future story to get revenge on Moana and Maui. Talo’s human form is only seen in this post-credits scene, meaning that Moana 3 is needed to fully explore the character and his partnership with the other villains.

This isn’t the only exciting story setup from Moana 2, however. At the end of Moana 2, Moana nearly dies, with her only being saved by Maui’s magic. Due to her nearly sacrificing her life, Moana is turned into a demigod, with her gaining all kinds of wayfinding powers. Moana was a mere human throughout the first two films, so having a Moana 3 story that entirely centers around Moana being a demigod is incredibly exciting. This is only made cooler by the fact that she will have to face off against Moana 2‘s villainous gods.

When Could Moana 3 Actually Happen?

Based On Previous Disney Movies

Moana 3 has not been officially announced, meaning that it isn’t confirmed. However, after the success of Moana 2, it would be werid for Disney not to capitalize on its box office performance. Moana 2 in its original form was announced in late 2020 and released in late 2024, meaning that it took roughly four years to release. Based on this, if Moana 3 entered development soon after Moana 2‘s release, the film could release in late 2028.

However, Moana 3‘s development may go quicker since it won’t be starting out as a TV show. Frozen II was announced in 2015 and released in 2019, although it too was plagued with development troubles. Meanwhile, Ralph Breaks the Internet was announced in early 2016 and released in late 2019. This means that Moana 3 could end up having a turnaround time of about two and a half years. If this is the case, Moana 3 could release in around 2027 at the earliest.