Disney seems to have learned not to mess with a good recipe when they find one.

Coming off of decades where sequels were only an afterthought, relegated to an animation studio full of trainees and released straight to video, Disney has since done a major pivot on how they view sequel or spinoff materials for their movies. Now, any extension to the canon of their best offerings are treated with the utmost care.

Such is the case with the new Moana spinoff series currently in development at Disney+. Moana was an incredibly successful film for the animation studio, and their first partnership with legendary Broadway composer Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show is one of a handful that was announced in December of 2020, as part of Disney's Investor Day program. The studio has chosen one of the film's original sources of inspiratoin, storyboard artist David G. Derrick Jr., to direct the project.

Derrick is overjoyed to be directing the sequel series to Moana, noting that working on the film "deepened his connection with his family's Samoan roots," according to a Walt Disney Animation Studios announcement on Twitter.

In the official statement, Derrick said:

"Working on Moana was a gift, personally and professionally. The film Moana caught and shared the spirit of Polynesia with the world. I am honored to continue her story and to celebrate the rich and beautiful cultures of the Pacific Islands."

Focus on the realism and basis in actual Samoan and Pacific Islander culture seems to be front and center among Disney's focuses for the series, as they made clear in their original description of the show:

"Moana, The Series, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a new long-form musical series that follows spirited voyager Moana as she ventures far beyond the reef. The studio is once again connecting with storytellers from the Pacific Islands to help tell the stories of wayfinding and other traditions brought to life for generations through oral storytelling."

It is not yet known whether actor Dwayne Johnson will return to voice his character Maui in the series, but given his good relationship with Disney and his activity in the industry lately - not to mention his well-documented love for the film - indicate that there is a good chance that he will. 

This isn't the only spinoff series Disney has announced in recent days; in fact they seem to be animating up a storm when it comes to spinoffs. Since 2020, Disney has announced continuations of Big Hero 6 (in addition to the series already in production on Disney Channel), The Princess and the Frog, and Zootopia. And as of recently, they may soon be adding a continuation of their new hit film Encanto, just released in November, to the list.

We can't wait to see what Disney has in store for Moana and her people next - the Moana spinoff series is due to hit Disney+ sometime in 2024.