Every time a live-action remake of an animated film is announced, the same question surfaces: Why did this movie need to be made? That conversation seems to be growing louder with the release of the live-action Moana trailer. Within hours of hitting YouTube, the like-to-dislike ratio wasn’t just notable—it became impossible to ignore.
Moana in the live action movie – YouTube, Disney
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And it’s not just the thumbs up or down telling the story. The comment sections across social media are just as revealing. On YouTube, the top comment puts it bluntly: “I have to admit, I do admire the bravery of Walt Disney Studios for keeping the comment section open.”
What the Moana Live-Action Trailer Shows
In just seven hours, the live-action Moana trailer racked up roughly 64,000 dislikes, compared to about 31,000 likes. That doesn’t necessarily mean audiences are rejecting live-action adaptations altogether—last year’s How to Train Your Dragon was received fairly well. Still, these numbers are a clear signal that viewers are pushing back against this remake.
The like to dislike ratio for the Moana live action movies on March 24, 2026 at 7:25 am EST – YouTube, Disney
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The original film debuted just 10 years ago and remains fresh in the minds of many. A significant portion of the online criticism has focused on how the animated characters have been translated into live-action. Dwayne Johnson—who voiced Maui in the original—was widely expected to be a natural fit for the remake. Instead, his appearance has sparked the most discussion, and not all of it positive.
Some commenters suggest there’s something artificial about Johnson’s look.
how does his body look fake here? i know he works out, i know he is a big man, yet something about this feels really fake and it isn’t even just the hair.
i hope he had fun doing it though. the one thing i think will match well is his smile, it will look like animated Maui i…
— Savvy ( ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵ ) (@MadamSavvy) March 23, 2026
Others have gone further, arguing that his portrayal feels out of place—more like a sketch than a blockbuster performance.
Dwayne Johnson stands out like a sore thumb so much that it looks like he’s acting in an SNL skit pic.twitter.com/KZ4KWI9hNp
— Funny Happy Studios (YT) (@FunnyHappyStud1) March 23, 2026
This sense that the movie looks overly artificial extends beyond a single character.
The Story and World
As the Moana live-action trailer makes clear, the story relies heavily on fantastical elements. Bringing that world to life requires a significant amount of technical wizardry. But as audiences grow increasingly sensitive to anything that resembles “AI slop,” visual effects are being held to a higher standard than ever. At the same time, with so much of the film relying on animation, some viewers are questioning the premise altogether: why use real actors at all?
The weirdest thing about Disney live action remakes is the entire film is still animated with the exception of close up shots of a handful of human actors lol https://t.co/y4KcUA7Xim
— CAMELCAST OFFICIAL (@CAMELCASTOff) March 24, 2026
What It Comes Down To
The overall impression of the Moana live-action trailer is that the story will remain extremely faithful to the original. Ultimately, that may be the film’s strongest advantage. A steep dislike ratio and online backlash don’t automatically translate into box office failure. For now, though, the film appears to have a perception problem—one that could be amplified as images from the trailer are repurposed into memes.
Young Moana in the Moana live action movie – YouTube, Disney
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The ratio may dominate the conversation today. But the numbers that matter most will be the ones at the box office this summer.
Did you give the live-action Moana trailer a thumbs up or thumbs down? Let us know in the comments!
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The original movie was already subversive feminist trash and this will be even worse.
In the first trailer, that wave looked like an AI sloppy wave, to me. It’s good to see backlashes now appearing for DEI movies, which, in the BLM era, were sacred.
What, no race swapping any of the characters? We need some Africans and Indians and Asians. No whiteys tho. Suddenly Disney seems to be afraid of DEI.
Probably because the whole concept of making a live action version of this movie is GAY so they figure they got the diversity covered.
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