Disney's MOANA Trailer Receives Backlash for Dwayne Johnson's Ridiculous Wig, but the Studio Says It's Staying

Last week, Disney released the first trailer for the live-action adaptation of the 2016 animated hit Moana. The film will tell the same great story, and Dwayne Johnson is returning to reprise the role of the demigod Maui in the new film.

The first look generated a lot of chatter, but not all the feedback was positive. Most of it was centered around the long wig that was chosen for the character Maui.

Not only are fans used to seeing Johnson with a completely bald head, but the wig itself looks a little more lady than demigod. While fans have raked the look over the coals, the best burn came from Weird Al Yankovic, who joked that the hair piece’s curl pattern looked eerily similar to his own.

“We’ve told all the casting agents that the Weird Al biopic sequel is currently on hold, but they just keep sending in headshots,” the prolific spoofer captioned his post with a close-up shot of Johnson.

So does this mean the studio will make a change? Probably not. Johnson talked about the process of landing on that particular hairpiece, telling Entertainment Weekly he spent two and a half hours each day in the makeup chair between Maui’s wig and 40-pound prosthetic bodysuit.

“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. And he had beautiful hair, beautiful demigod hair,” Johnson said, noting the filmmakers toyed with (but ultimately abandoned) the idea of using digital effects to create Maui’s hair.

“There were a handful of iterations that we were looking to apply very early. 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?”

Translating the electric pop of animation to real life isn’t always a simple task. Fans have routinely criticized Disney live-action films, like Mufasa and Snow White, for their heavy use of CGI or commented on how they look desaturated. Moana isn’t picture-locked, which means the coloring and visual effects are not yet complete, but sources say there are no plans to make a major creative pivot despite the social media pile-on.

So we will just have to get used to the funny wig. In the end, it’s not the most important part of the movie, and as long as they can nail the story, music, and acting, we will have a good time watching this adaptation. Moana is set to hit theaters on July 10, 2026.

via: Variety