Brand Profile - Disney

Moana 2 - oceans of product potential

In early February, Disney stunned fans by announcing a surprise sequel to its hit animated movie Moana, which first arrived in cinemas in 2016. Picking up several years after the events of the first film, the sequel sees our titular heroine, again voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, embark on another ocean voyage beyond the boundaries of Oceania to protect her ancestral legacy. Reunited with demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson), Moana comes face to face with a challenge unlike anything she’s faced before. Ahead of the film’s release on 29th November, Nigel Cook, vice president Brand Commercialisation & Retail, Disney Consumer Products EMEA, tells Toy World what the sequel will mean for the toy industry.

The announcement of Moana 2 came as something of a surprise to Disney fans. Why did Disney keep this one under its proverbial hat, so to speak?

The Moana franchise continues to captivate a vast audience, with the original film clocking up an impressive 1b hours of streaming on Disney+ in the last year alone.

Given this strong demand for Moana, the upcoming sequel feels like a natural progression. We’re excited to welcome back fan favourites Moana and Maui, not to mention Pua and Hei Hei, and expand their world with an ensemble of brand-new characters and music. The overwhelmingly positive fan response to the sequel announcement and teaser trailer – which reached 178m

views in 24 hours - has reinforced our belief that Moana 2 will be just as well received as the first film, and that there’s lots of opportunity there in the toy space.

The most recent trailer reveals that Moana is now an older sister as well as Wayfinder of her people. Will these new plot elements introduce new or enhanced themes to the content?

These new plot elements and characters reveal even more parts of Moana’s world that fans will want to explore, whilst still supporting its signature humour, fan-favourite sidekicks and musical score.

Our licensing plans reflect these developments, with products like Mattel's new Moana 2 Transforming Boat Playset and Fashion Doll Character Pack enabling fans to immerse themselves fully in Moana's expanded universe.

It’s been eight years since the release of the first movie. Is Moana 2 aimed at that same, older audience, or do you hope to capture an entirely new set of fans with it?

Moana 2 will reconnect with the audience that fell in love with the original film and characters, while also captivating a new generation of young fans who may not have the same nostalgic connection.

Our evergreen Moana product ranges cater to all age groups, from timeless Playmobil sets for the younger fans all the way up to collectibles from Funko for older enthusiasts. There is plenty of opportunity to expand upon this cross-generational popularity with Moana 2, embracing both loyal fans and newcomers alike.

How is the Moana 2 licensing programme shaping up? What CP categories are you focusing on, and is there still scope for licensees to get on board?

The incredible line up of Moana 2 inspired toys announced in recent days gives a sense of the potential the film holds in the product space. Many of the newly revealed items produced by our industry-leading partners reflect the enduring popularity of the Princess play pattern, including new and enhanced dolls, play sets and costumes.

With the theatrical release set to unveil more surprises, there is considerable scope for further development and the creation of new products that celebrate the film's themes and characters.

What does the release of the sequel and its associated licensing programme offer toy stores from a retail perspective?

The wealth of new characters, storylines, themes and even music that Moana 2 has teased so far opens up a world of possibilities from a licensing perspective. We always work closely with our retail partners on connecting consumers with product in creative ways while staying true to the IP.

For Moana 2, the freshness of new product and potential to enhance existing play patterns gives us ample ways of engaging consumers and bringing Moana and her world to life in the retail space. We’re very excited to share this with consumers over the next few months.