Disney announces animated film 'Moana'

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Walt Disney Animation Studios announced this week that its next full length animated movie will focus on a Polynesian girl.

The title character is named Moana, which translates to "deep water" in Hawaiian.

The movie is set in the ancient south Pacific world of "Oceania". The girl sets off in search of a fabled island and teams up with the demi-god, Maui, along the way.

According to Disney's official blog, "Moana traverses the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore."

Filmmakers are the same team behind 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Aladdin'. John Musker and Ron Clements said they made several trips to Hawaii when planning the film, seeking insight into how growing up surrounded by an ocean affects a person's point of view.

Musker and Clements say they learned that people think of the ocean as something that unites the islands, instead of separating them.

'Moana' is scheduled to hit theaters in late 2016.