New Trailers! Moana and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
🎥 Catherine Laga'aia takes the ocean by storm as Disney’s new Moana, while Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc returns to untangle faith, fear, and murder in Rian Johnson's new Knives Out sequel.
🎥 “Moana” Teaser: Newcomer Catherine Laga’aia Steps Into an Iconic Role in Disney’s Epic Live-Action Remake With Dwayne Johnson Returning as Maui — In Theaters July 10th, 2026
Look, at this point, there are two camps of thinking when it comes to Disney’s decision to offer live-action adaptations of some of their biggest animated classics.
In one camp, there’s the reasonable belief that if a movie already worked beautifully the first time — animated or not — then remaking it is unnecessary. It will only overshadow what was done before or fail to live up to the original at all. Then, in the other camp, there’s a more defeatist attitude about remakes and reboots in general: if Disney is already making live-action redos and making a lot of money doing so, then why not Moana? At least it’s one of their newer classics.
No matter what you think about this upcoming live-action version of Moana, it’s safe to say it will likely make enough money at the box office next year to silence the naysayers and drown out the negative noise. And especially in a time when movie studios are scrounging for any hope of a sure-thing hit, this one feels as close as they can get.
But putting the cynicism aside, the film can also remind audiences why they fell in love with the story in the first place. After all, it’s a sweeping tale of courage, cultural pride, mythic adventure, and carving out your place in a world that keeps shifting beneath you like the tides. Also, who wouldn’t want to see Dwayne Johnson as a larger-than-life demigod again, hamming it up with that signature Maui swagger? Sadly, we don’t see much of him in this teaser, granted that reveal is clearly being saved for a bigger moment down the line. But we do get a nice look at Moana herself.
Newcomer Catherine Laga’aia steps into the leading role of Moana, the strong-willed chief’s sixteen-year-old daughter who does what any great hero does when fate calls: she ignores her father’s warnings and sails straight into danger. So, when a mysterious darkness is poisoning the islands of Polynesia, Moana stubbornly and bravely decides she’s the one who needs to stop it. Her only hope? Teaming up with the world’s most incorrigible demigod, Maui, brought to life (and to ego-filled perfection) by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, reprising his role from the animated film.
Their quest takes them across a treacherous Pacific, from monster-infested waters to ancient legends come alive. Along the way, Moana uncovers the truth about her ancestors’ long-lost wayfinding legacy, forcing her to reckon not just with the threats around her but with the leader she’s destined to become.
Emmy and Tony winner Thomas Kail, of Hamilton fame, makes his feature debut, bringing a stage director’s eye for scale, emotion, and knockout musical moments. The film is produced by an impressive team that includes Johnson, Dany Garcia, Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with original Moana voice actress Auliʻi Cravalho returning as an executive producer.
Expect soaring visuals, thunderous set pieces, and songs that aim for full-body goosebumps. And when Moana finally steadies her hand on the sail, trust that audiences will feel the swell of that moment too.
The live-action Moana is scheduled to hit theaters next summer, starting on July 10th, 2026.
🎥 “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” Trailer: Daniel Craig Digs Into Faith, Fear, and Murder at an Upstate Parish in Rian Johnson’s Third Benoit Blanc Mystery — In Theaters November 26th, on Netflix December 12th
This holiday season, the aroma in the air might not be a delicious turkey dinner but perhaps something a little more sinister. And if you have a nose like Benoit Blanc, you might be sniffing out a murder mystery for the ages.
Daniel Craig slips back into the role of Rian Johnson’s Southern-fried sleuth in the highly anticipated Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third installment in the star-studded, darkly comic detective saga where murders are never as straightforward as they seem.
Craig’s Benoit Blanc has stared down tech billionaires, dysfunctional families, and a labyrinth of lies. But his latest case drops him somewhere far stranger: an upstate New York parish where the biggest mystery might be the one Heaven isn’t answering. While wandering the shadowy halls of an aging church estate shaken by an impossible murder, Blanc tries to sniff out a killer whose motives seem buried somewhere between faith and fear.
And like previous chapters, Wake Up Dead Man has its fair share of big-name stars playing suspects. Let’s take a look at the lineup, shall we:
Josh O’Connor (The Crown, Challengers) is Father Jud Duplenticy, an earnest young priest who has been mentored by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). But when Wicks turns up dead, Father Duplenticy might not be as innocent as he seems.
Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) is Martha Delacroix, the enigmatic church matron who has been Wicks’ right-hand woman. Does she know more than she’s letting on?
Kerry Washington (Scandal) and Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) are Vera and Cy Draven, a power couple at odds with their own righteousness. She’s a big-city lawyer and he’s an aspiring politician — two professions known for keeping secrets and bending truths.
Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla, Civil War) is Simone Vivane, a disabled former concert cellist. She used to make beautiful music with a bow; now perhaps she’s striking a very different kind of chord.
Andrew Scott (Ripley, All of Us Strangers) is Lee Ross, a best-selling author. He knows how to spin a good yarn, so who’s to say he ain’t weaving one now to cover his tracks?
Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man 3, Sideways) is Samson Holt, the church’s cryptic groundskeeper. His knowledge of the property might give him an extra edge — he could know all the hiding spots.
Jeremy Renner (MCU’s Hawkeye) is Dr. Nat Sharp, the local physician who’s haunted by past mistakes. As a doctor, he might know a way to afflict serious harm just as easily as he can heal it.
And finally, there’s Mila Kunis (Ted, Black Swan) as Geraldine Scott, the sharp-tongued police chief who reluctantly teams up with Blanc. She has a badge — but does that mean she’s been given a license to murder?
Scripture, sin, and small-town intrigue: Wake Up Dead Man might just be the darkest Knives Out entry yet. The film is set to open in select theaters on November 26th before streaming on Netflix December 12th. Pray God it plays in a theater near you.
