On July 10, 2026 the new Moana live action movie is expected to premiere in theaters. Disney Productions has re-imagined many of their animated classics, such as Cinderella, the Lion King and Snow White as of recently, but has been making live action movies since the 1950s. When Disney Productions first began making live action movies, many were excited, but as time goes on, the excitement of the film industry dulls down. 

“In moderation, a few live actions can be okay, but people who enjoy movies want something new,” Junior Editor in Chief Savannah Echols said. “They don’t want a remake if it’s not according to the original, but they also want something unique and different than what they already expect. This is what makes movies exciting, not fantastical CGI and real life recasting.” 

New movies keep an audience engaged, and without the constant newness, many are losing perpetual interest in the animation industry. 

“I don’t think Disney should continue making live action films because many people see Disney movies for their creative and magical appeal. Making the same movie twice, with a shift to how the movie looks, can be kind of meaningless,” News Reporter Emma Vannoy said. 

However, while some are upset with the constant remakes of old animations, Social Media Editor, Cade Nguyen, thinks Disney should continue making live action movies. 

“I’d say, with their budget and reputation for making well done animations, that they are capable of making an amazing adaptation for old animated films,” Nguyen said. 

In specific, the new Moana Live Action is near its grand premiere. While the first movie was loved by many, the second got more overwhelmingly negative reviews.  

“Even though I’ve enjoyed some past live action movies, I’m not looking forward to the Moana one. The sequel just came out and its reviews aren’t nearly as positive as the former. That makes me think that the same outcome will occur for the live action version,” Echols said.

When casting lists were released, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Maui and Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana, social media rioted with the lack of effort put into the roles. 

“There isn’t really anything that they’ve shown other than the cast but I think Disney picking Dwane Johnson was just kind of lazy. Yeah, it is voice accurate but I wish they could’ve cast someone more traditional and looks like Maui,” Nguyen said. 

As more live actions come out, the plot of many stories gets more lost. Staffers wish there was more new story animation instead of old repetition, diminishing their love for Disney films. 

“Its [live actions are] not the same and can’t live up to the magic of the original movies,” Reporter Marleigh Jesse said.