Much to the delight of (some) fans, Disney has recently released the first official poster for the upcoming Moana sequel, creatively named – you guessed it – Moana 2. The tasteful teaser gives us a little flavour of what's to come (expect much more Moana and Maui hijinks) but as with most good things, some sections of the internet are not happy.
After the recent influx of AI film posters, it seems that some Redditors are a little suspicious, already throwing around artificial intelligence accusations. Other Disney fans are simply asking 'why?' after the plague of movie sequels has given many of us cinematic fatigue. But as one Reddit user puts it, "Truly, the Mouse cannot be stopped," and this is the burden we must bear.
The poster in question is simple but effective, with Maui's fish hook and Moana's paddle forming a '2'. Silhouetted in the background is Moana against the tropical shoreline of the fictional island of Motunui. It's not the most revelatory teaser poster by any means, but it's certainly a treat for fans who've been patiently anticipating a sequel.
Leave it to Reddit to pick apart something so seemingly wholesome and innocuous. Taking to r/movies, one user criticised the design, commenting "I get that it's supposed to look like a two, but I have trouble seeing it." One user joked that the sequel was the start of a slew of cheap AI-generated Disney sequels, commenting "That's the way AI is progressing." Others felt that the sequel was in poor taste, acting as a cheap "cash grab", with another user suggesting the alternative title "Moana 2: Milking the Coconut Dry".
With a live-action remake of the original Moana in the pipeline, it's understandable why some fans are feeling a little fatigued by the new sequel. Classic Disney fans want one thing – original fresh films (and a revival of the hand-drawn animation style wouldn't go amiss) – but in this era of cinematic universes, Disney seems to be simply following the trends. I'm slightly underwhelmed but not surprised.
For more Disney design, check out the poster for Disney’s Mufasa that sparked an online design dispute. If you're a Disney superfan, take a look at the mind-blowing Disney animation secrets that surprised even the most dedicated fans.
