One of this year's biggest box office successes is Disney's "Moana 2", which reunites Moana and Maui three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.  

The film features a stunning score by Grammy-winning composer Mark Mancina. Known for his work on the original Moana as well as The Lion King, Speed, and Tarzan, Mancina’s dynamic, emotional compositions are at the heart of the film’s sweeping musical landscape. Moana 2 marks Mancina's return to the world of Oceania, alongside Grammy Award-winning songwriters Barlow & Bear, and Billboard Music Award- and American Music Award-winning songwriter and composer Opetaia Foa‘i, who also returned for the sequel.

Recently, I got to speak with Mark about his work on "Moana 2", where he revealed some of the challenges working on the score and the impact of the project being flipped from a Disney+ Original series to a theatrical release.