Disney will reportedly stand firm over the look of its live-action Moana remake, despite online ridicule of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s wig.
Moana’s latest trailer revealed Johnson’s character Maui, as well as the 40-pound bodysuit and long dark wig he wears to embody the character. The online reaction to his appearance has not been kind, however, with criticism of how odd the typically-bald actor appears levied by numerous fans — and even Weird Al Yankovic, who suggested the former wrestler was trying to look like him.
Aside from Maui’s appearance, the trailer was also slammed for its heavy use of CGI, and its desaturated colors when compared to Moana’s beloved original animation. Fans have variously compared the film to looking like AI “slop” and a “T-Mobile commercial,” and according to a new Variety report, Disney is aware of the backlash. Still, it’s understood that Disney is not planning any form of major Sonic the Hedgehog-style creative pivot with just four months to go until Moana’s release.
Variety’s report mentions that fan complaints over the look of Disney live-action remakes are nothing new, and that post-production work on Moana remains ongoing, with coloring and visual effects still a work in progress. But Johnson’s wig sounds like it’ll be staying — even if other solutions to the Rock’s hair situation were previously discussed.
“The wig was very crucial and important because, in holding onto the integrity of the character from the animated version, Maui was very proud of his hair,” Johnson told Entertainment Weekly, revealing that the idea of making his locks fully CGI had been discussed.
“There were a handful of iterations that we were looking to apply very early,” he continued. “What is the most cost-effective? What’s the most time-effective? But ultimately, we have to go back to the main thing, which is, what’s the best thing for the film and the audience’s experience?”
Paramount was widely praised by Sonic fans back in 2019 for undertaking a complete overhaul of its original, creepy Sonic the Hedgehog Movie character design, which featured the spiky blue mammal appearing on the big screen complete with human-like fingers and teeth. After an enormous backlash online, the film’s director Jeff Fowler announced that the movie would be changed following fan feedback, something that also required a delay to its release. At launch, the movie was then met with positive reviews and a strong box office, and has now spawned numerous sequels.
All of the criticism of Moana aside, however, there’s no suggestion this response will actually impact the movie’s box office when it launches on July 10. Disney’s similar Lilo & Stitch remake made over $1 billion in theaters last year and will now get a live-action sequel, while many more live-action remakes are also in the pipeline, with Tangled up next.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Disney is now developing a live-action Peter Pan spinoff centered on tiny fairy Tinker Bell, to launch on Disney+. Other upcoming live-action remake projects in the works include plans for new versions of Hercules and Bambi, plus a Beauty and the Beast spinoff starring Gaston.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
