‘Moana’ Sailing Back Into Theaters with Special One-Day Sing-Along Version
Among the most difficult aspects of parenting is the matter of simply filling the hours in a day. Kids become bored after approximately twenty unstimulating minutes, so moms and dads have to constantly plan out diversions to keep their offspring occupied. Disney just did the parents of America a real solid, however. Animated movies have long been a go-to option for parents hoping to run out the clock, and they’ll be able to go back to Moana for seconds later this month, when the film re-enters theaters for a one-day sing-along engagement.
/Film reports that A version of the film including all the lyrics onscreen will play in a limited nationwide release on the afternoon of Saturday, January 27 after a special premiere at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theater on January 20. The original score, composed by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney regular Mark Mancina, and Pacific Islander musician Opetaia Foa‘i, has already been a smash with the same kids that turned Frozen into an inescapable phenomenon and is expected to rack up a few Oscar nominations later this month. We have not yet received confirmation that a bouncing Maui head will help the singers in the audience follow along with the music, but anything less would be a massive wasted opportunity.
This should be a slam-dunk for Disney, generating a tidy profit with next-to-no effort on their part, all the while shoring up Moana as the youth obsession officially (and mercifully) supplanting Minions. It‘s a win for everyone — the executives who create an easy payday from thin air, the kids who get to revisit a new favorite, and the parents who can enjoy the film along with their youngsters or pop in a pair of earplugs and take a well-earned nap.