Disney has released the first look at its live-action Moana, but the bigger story isn’t the visuals, the music, or even the cast. It’s the Moana trailer dislikes — a flood of them — that hit YouTube almost immediately.
As of this writing, the teaser sits at 32,000 likes and 59,000 dislikes, a lopsided ratio that’s becoming eerily familiar. If this déjà vu is kicking in for you, there’s a reason: it’s exactly what happened to Snow White before that film face-planted at the box office.
The dislike ratio on the trailer for Moana as of November 18, 2025 – YouTube, Disney
The teaser introduces Catherine Laga‘aia as Moana, singing the iconic line “I am Moana!” while standing on a canoe. It should be a triumphant moment. Instead, a large portion of the online audience is zeroed in on something else entirely: the visuals, the execution, and the fact that this story is being remade less than a decade after the original.
Fans Are Hammering the CGI
Scrolling through the comments section, there’s a clear throughline: people think the movie looks too digital, too composited, and too reliant on CGI rather than the physical authenticity Disney promised when announcing the project. Some users say the ocean looks plastic. Others point to the backgrounds as “unfinished.”
Young Moana in the Moana live action movie – YouTube, Disney
Whether fans are right or wrong, perception is everything — and right now, the perception is rough.
“Why Is Disney Remaking This So Soon?”
Another major complaint fueling these Moana trailer dislikes is the timeline. Moana debuted in 2016. That’s not old. That’s not nostalgic.
Disney has spent years milking its animated catalog with remakes, from The Lion King to The Little Mermaid to Snow White. But even die-hard Disney supporters are openly questioning why a film less than 10 years old needs a reboot.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson as Maui in the live action Moana – YouTube, Disney
The word “unnecessary” shows up repeatedly in conversations surrounding this trailer — and not gently.
The optics aren’t helped by the company’s recent string of high-profile underperformers. When audiences think a studio is running on autopilot, every announcement gets magnified, and every misstep gets amplified.
The Snow White Pattern Is Impossible to Ignore
It’s impossible not to draw comparisons. Before Snow White even hit theaters, the trailers were hammered with dislikes. Every interview, every clip, every image went viral for the wrong reasons. Audiences spoke early, loudly, and overwhelmingly.
The dislike ratio for the Snow White trailer as of 02/03/25
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Disney didn’t listen.
Fast-forward: the movie collapsed at the box office, sparked a cultural firestorm, and became a case study in ignoring your audience.
Now the Moana teaser drops… and gets the same treatment in less than 24 hours.
This doesn’t guarantee another failure — but it’s a flashing warning sign the size of Maui’s fish hook.
What the Trailer Shows (Beyond the Backlash)
Leaving aside the ratio for a moment, the trailer itself is straightforward. It sticks remarkably close to the original 2016 film. We see:
- Moana on her canoe
- Sweeping ocean vistas
- A familiar musical line
- Maui shapeshifting for a quick comedic beat
- The Kakamora briefly making an appearance
Hei Hei in the live action Moana – YouTube, Disney
Catherine Laga‘aia captures Moana’s spirit well, and Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, which should be a major selling point. The cast lineup is largely faithful to the original. On paper, the production checks every box Disney normally relies on.
But none of that matters if the public conversation becomes dominated by the numbers underneath the Like button.
A Trailer With More Questions Than Answers
Disney wants this movie to be a global event. But if the first 24 hours are any indication, the studio may have a serious messaging problem on its hands. These Moana trailer dislikes may simply reflect remake fatigue, distrust in CGI, leftover frustration from Disney’s recent missteps, or all of the above.
What’s clear is that the reaction is not passive. It’s active, organized, and accelerating.
An island in Moana – YouTube, Disney
If Moana follows the path of Snow White, we already know what the ending looks like — and it’s not the happily-ever-after Disney is hoping for.
What did you think of the teaser? Does the Moana trailer deserve all these dislikes? Are fans overreacting, or is this remake sailing into a storm before it even leaves the harbor? Sound off in the comments.
That Park Place Editor-in-Chief Marvin Montanaro contributed to this report.
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