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Lin-Manuel Miranda Explains Why He Wasn't Invited Back For Moana 2 Amid Mixed Reactions To Soundtrack
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the acclaimed composer behind Moana’s iconic songs, explains why he didn’t return for the sequel, Moana 2. Here's everything you need to know.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the award-winning composer of the original Moana, has shared why he didn’t return for the highly anticipated sequel, Moana 2. Despite fans expecting his involvement, the songwriter clarified that the decision was due to the film's production process and timing.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Moana 2 made history by securing the biggest-ever box office opening for an animated film. Fans were excited to see Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their roles, but many were surprised to find that Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed the memorable songs in the original 2016 Moana, was missing from the credits.
While fans are divided over the sequel's music, with the soundtrack receiving mixed reviews, the absence of Miranda has raised questions.
Lin-Manuel Miranda spoke to PEOPLE on Monday night about why he didn’t return to write music for Moana 2. According to Miranda, there was never an opportunity for him to be involved with the project.
He shared that the sequel already had its team of songwriters. The production process for Moana 2 was already set when he was working on other projects, which prevented him from joining the sequel's team.
Miranda added that he went directly from working on Encanto to receiving the script for Mufasa: The Lion King, leaving no time for him to work on Moana 2. “Moana 2 was already in process as a TV series, with Emily [Bear] and Abigail [Barlow],” he shared. “When that decision got made to turn it into a movie, they were already... already cookin’.”
The songwriting duo Barlow and Bear, who rose to fame in 2022 for The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, were brought in to write the music for Moana 2.
They are currently the youngest and only all-female composing team to work on a major Disney film. The duo won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album that year, making them an exciting choice for the sequel.
However, their involvement has sparked mixed reactions. Abigail Barlow, one-half of the duo, responded to criticism about the music in an interview with Variety. “Give it a month; all the kids will be singing it, and you’ll be tired of it,” she said, which triggered a significant amount of debate online.
Critics argued that this approach might reflect a focus on catchy, modern pop sounds, rather than creating songs that carry emotional weight and enrich the story.
While Barlow and Bear were working on the soundtrack for Moana 2, they frequently reached out to Lin-Manuel Miranda for advice. “He was always just a FaceTime call away,” said Abigail.
Miranda shared resources with the duo, including books on musical theater storytelling. “He gave me books from musical theater storytelling greats [that were] all about how to craft a lyric and how to tell stories through music in the most succinct and pleasing way,” she shared.
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