A new character inMoana 2is given a closer look in new images for the film. Continuing the story of Motunui and its inhabitants,Moana 2is the sequel to the 2016 filmMoana. It is set for release on November 27 and features a leading voice cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk, Auli’i Cravalho, Temuera Morrison, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger, and Rose Matafeo. In addition to the development ofMoana 2, Disney is also working on alive-actionMoana, which is set for release in 2026.
Now,Entertainment Weeklyhas released newMoanaimages thatgive a look at the titular character’s younger sister. In the first image, the lead character Moana holds her young sister, whose name is Simea. The two of them are standing on the sand, with the corner of the ocean behind them, presumably on Motunui. In the second image, Moana and Simea are near the water again, this time sitting on a boat. Simea leans her head back, gazing up at her older sister, who also looks down at Simea. Check out the newMoana 2images below:
What Else Has Been Revealed About Simea
Simea Was Inspired By The Director’s Child
Moana’s mother, Sina, was not verbally stated to be pregnant in the first film. For that reason, it was somewhat surprising when a character who appeared to be a sibling to Moana appeared in one ofMoana2’s trailers. Simea is supposed to be a three-year-old girl. This is roughly the same amount of time that has passed in the world of Motunui between the previous film and the upcoming movie. This means that Sina either had to be pregnant sometime during the events of the first film or shortly thereafter.
In addition to revealing the photos forMoana 2, co-director David G. Derrick Jr., explains more about Simea. Some of the character’sinspiration came from thedirector’s own daughter, Samea. Because of their age difference, Derrick explained, “Moana is not only [Simea’s] big sister, she is a guardian and a leader to her.” When creating the personality for Simea, Derrick and the creative team asked themselves’What would it be like to grow up with a big sister as cool and badass as Moana?‘The full quote from Derrick is realized below:
The relationship between Simea and Moana was the most important thing to attempt to decode and unravel. So Moana is not only her big sister, she is a guardian and a leader to her, but she has this unique relationship where she’s the only one who can speak to Simea as a peer and get to the core of her."
When we were developing Simea’s personality, a lot of it came from, ‘What would it be like to grow up with a big sister as cool and badass as Moana?’ Simea is going to be just as scrappy and fiery as Moana was when she was little. So, we tried to come up with a strong enough personality for her that we could match Moana’s energy on screen, which is a really fun alchemy to play with when you have this 3-and-a-half-year-old version of a character that is very unique in their own way, but is still connected to Moana.
How Simea Will Change Moana 2 For The Better
Moana 2 Will Heighten The Themes Of Family
Throughout the firstMoana, one of the most memorable themes is the importance of family. I imagine these themes will be even more pressing inMoana 2, for now, the lead character is not just looking up to her elders and ancestors, but has a younger person in the picture. With Simea, Moana may be encouraged to be an example for the younger generation, which will also further tie her to Motunui. How exactly this plays out will be revealed whenMoana 2hits theaterslater this fall.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
