When the live-action Moana was first announced, it was supposed to be a project that would come down the line. But since then the project has been put on the fast track. And it appears now that Dwayne Johnson is really getting ready to reprise his role of Maui in the live-action film, as he says that’s the next movie he will be shooting. This is great if you’re a Moana fan, but maybe not so much if you’re waiting on the next Fast & Furious movie.
In an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Johnson confirmed that Moana would be the next project he will be filming and that he will be reprising the role of Maui. You can tell by the way he talks about it that the project is close to his heart. Johnson said…
My next project that I’ll be shooting is a live-action version of Moana. I am the real-life Maui. Thank you guys very much, I’m so excited about this. It’s a way, again, to not only pay homage to my Polynesian heritage and culture, but it’s also just such a — as you guys know — incredible story that resonates with everyone around the world, especially young girls and empowering young girls.
Johnson didn’t say exactly when filming was set to begin (to our knowledge the title role has yet to be cast) but Moana is currently slated for a June 2025 release date. This would indicate filming starting anywhere in the next several months, possibly as late as next summer.
But if Johnson is filming Moana next when exactly is he planning on shooting his Fast & Furious spinoff movie? Following the release of Fast X, it was reported that Johnson, following the Fast X post-credits scene, would star in a movie that unfortunately wasn't the Hobbs & Shaw 2 I wanted, but would act as some sort of bridge between the two parts of Fast X. The spinoff doesn’t have a release date, and the Fast X sequel doesn’t have one officially. But a release date of April 4, 2025, has been reported. That would give enough time to make the spinoff, for a late 2024 release, but only if it started shooting soon.
It’s possible, even likely, that the recently resolved Hollywood strikes are delaying the Fast & Furious franchise. Both movies are likely waiting on final scripts, and the writer’s strike would have cut into the time to make that happen. It’s possible that both movies are being delayed beyond the plan, leading to Johnson making Moana next, and possibly returning to the role of Hobbs after that.
I guess fans of the Fast & Furious movies will need to be like Moana. When Dwayne Johnson described what he loved about the character and the film, he could have been talking to F&F fans, telling them to have faith in what they could not see. He said…
There’s what’s in front of you and then there’s the stuff that you can’t see that’s way out there. Have faith and confidence in what you are and go out there, even if you can’t see it. Moana happens to meet the demigod Maui, who helps her see that and she helps him.
In the end, we still expect fans of both franchises to get their movies. It seems it may just be a question of when they will arrive.
