Story artist David G. Derrick Jr. has been hired to direct the upcoming Moana series for Disney+. He’s worked as a storyboard artist on The Lion King, Raya And The Last Dragon, and Encanto, but originally joined Disney Animation to work on the Moana film, which he said “deepened his connection with his family’s Samoan roots.”
The 2016 film revolved around the eponymous daughter of her Polynesian village’s chief. After being chosen by the ocean itself, the film follows Moana’s journey to save her people alongside the demigod Maui. The new series – a musical – will pick up right after the film left off.
The series marks one of the first times that Walt Disney Animation will be producing a spin-off television series rather than Disney Television Animation. The series was announced in late 2020 and is expected to arrive in 2024. It will also be the first project to be produced out of Walt Disney Animation Studios Vancouver, expected to be a major hub for Disney + projects.
Derrick will be stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. Prior to Disney, he worked at Dreamworks and worked on films such as Bee Movie, How To Train Your Dragon, and Megamind. He said in a statement:
“Working on Moana was a gift personally and professionally. The film caught and shared the spirit of Polynesia with the world. I am honored to continue her story to celebrate the rich and beautiful cultures of the pacific islands.”
With streaming now becoming such an important part of a studio’s business, more shows based off immensely successful films like Moana are a likelihood. We’ve already seen it with the MCU spinoffs, and this might be the beginning of a similar run of shows based off Disney animated films.
#Peace.Love.Moana
