Disney dropped the new live-action “Moana” trailer today, and it has many people talking, but not necessarily in a good way, about Dwayne Johnson as Maui.
Sometimes animation doesn’t translate as well to live action. While many people love his look, a lot of others aren’t impressed.
Here is what people are saying,
A lot of people are asking why the film exists at all, given the newness of the animated “Moana”
“I have to admit, I do admire the bravery of Walt Disney Studios of keeping the comment section open.” -Rasim9898
“What else can I say except, “Why did we need this?” -kimaniwilsonhunte
Me after seeing another live action adaptation from disney pic.twitter.com/4p3l0F4mQV
— AuraBlue (@AuraBlue2792) March 23, 2026
“All I’m wondering is. Did we really need this movie? However Te Kā looks incredible.” – Augustmayse24
Is it too late to bully this movie out of existence? Or can we start now that we’ve seen what it looks like? pic.twitter.com/wGwAJrGC41
— Wesley (@farmboyrocki) March 23, 2026
My son said the same thing. He said it feels like an SNL parody!
“Didn’t know Disney made SNL skits now“- forrester6712
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
Others have opinions on Maui’s hair.
“That wig they put on the rock is killing me“- DeJay0901
Primer vistazo a Maui live-action: La Roca con pelo… o más bien, la peluca luchando por su vida contra la calva más poderosa de Hollywood🤣🤣😂😂 pic.twitter.com/lcAgHXwtMT
— Anonymous (@aNonIfb) March 23, 2026
Some don’t feel the body suit (or CGI) fits Johnson like it would have a few years back.
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
“don’t forget the muscle suit as well. the pebble can’t pull it off now“- 2288sharingan
Temu Maui
— Tarot by Montré Bible (@MontreBible) March 23, 2026
” i know this is a kid’s film but no nipples on Maui, so either its a muscle suit or purely CGI. also his face looks gaunt here. given that he would’ve been shooting Smashing Machine alongside this, its not possible to have that much body mass with that gaunt face, its one or the other if this was his real body” -wicked00ly
Okay! Gonna be real!
The Rock looks super goofy in this! Like really really goofy!I’d love if we just got an Authentic Animated Disney movie like the good ol’ days! Bring back stuff like Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Disney Freaking Dinosaurs for all I care!
But no more… pic.twitter.com/e7YoiFmjCV
— 🌟👑 Hanspuir | Lord WingWing! | 👑🌟 (@Hanspuir) March 23, 2026
“Live-action Maui looks so goofy bro” -bickhamproductions
— Brandon Collins (@obrandoncollins) March 23, 2026
Even Bluesky is mocking it!
Disney really needs to just lay off the live-action reimaginings and go back to making one hit animated film after another.
But it’s been years since they did that.
What do you think? How does Maui look in live-action to you?
Comment and let us know!
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