Dwayne Johnson gets reimagined as an updated Maui in new live-action Moana art. Singing the catchy tune “You’re Welcome,” Johnson voiced the demigod in the 2016 film Moana. Johnson is set to play the character again in this year’s upcoming Moana 2 and in the live-action version of Moana.
New art from @wweaiart shows gives a taste of what Johnson might look like in the live-action version of Moana. The art shows a series of AI-generated images that reveal the character of Maui in an epic progression of stills. The first image appears the most similar to Johnson’s actual Moana look, with Maui standing stoically, sporting Johnson’s face but the animated character’s tattooed body. Other images show Maui at sea, hinting at how the demigod will interact with the oceanic setting surrounding Moana. In one image, Maui sets sail on the classic Moana boat.
Moana’s Live-Action Adaptation Presents Exciting Challenges
This AI Moana art presents an interesting glimpse into what the film might look like in live-action. Though focusing only on Maui, the art serves as a good reminder of how challenging it will be to take Moana and put it in a live-action context. From creating the world of Motunui to the underwater world of Tamatoa, Moana’s live-action adaptation will have to employ a mixture of sets and CGI in order to craft the film in live-action.
For Maui specifically, the character will involve huge effort on the part of the makeup team. One of Maui’s most striking visual characteristics is his tattooed chest. In the AI images, these tattoos still have a kind of animated quality to them. In live-action, the Moana character’s look will have to be meticulously crafted in order to create full tattoos on Johnson. The live-action adaptation may not adhere exactly to Maui’s look from 2016, but will still have to put in significant work to capture the essence of the character.
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The images also highlight another vital aspect of Maui: his supernatural abilities. As a demigod, Maui has superhuman strength and can shapeshift. These magical powers will have to be rendered in CGI in the live-action Moana. Hopefully, the VFX team can do this seamlessly enough so as not to disrupt Johnson’s likely great performance as Maui in the live-action Moana.
Moana
Disney’s Moana takes place in ancient Polynesia, and tells the story of the titular princess. The daughter of a tribe chief in a coastal village, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) is drawn to the sea, believing it is her quest to return the Heart of Te Fiti – a mysterious relic – to its rightful home in order to stop the blight threatening her island. Along the way, she meets the trickster demi-god, Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who helps her on her quest.
