Dwayne Johnson breaks silence on 'too soon' 'Moana' debate

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has hit back at critics who claim Disney's live-action Moana has arrived too soon.

The 54-year-old Hollywood heavyweight, who returns as the mighty demigod Maui, said he never agreed with the idea that classic films should be left untouched for 20 or 30 years before being remade. 

Speaking at the film's Los Angeles premiere, Johnson argued that Moana's heartwarming themes are timeless and deserve to be experienced in a new way.

According to The Smashing Machine star, seeing real actors bring the emotional journey to life offers audiences a fresh perspective, especially through the eyes of a young girl facing extraordinary challenges.

Director Thomas Kail backed that view, pointing out that nearly a decade has passed since the animated original sailed into cinemas. 

He said the children who first fell in love with Moana are now teenagers and young adults, making it the perfect moment to revisit the story on the big screen.

The pair also addressed one of the film's biggest talking points that Johnson's dramatic transformation into Maui, complete with a long, flowing wig that has sparked plenty of chatter online.

Laughing off the reaction, the famously bald actor admitted he expected fans to be surprised but urged them not to judge the look from early images alone. 

He insisted everything would make sense once audiences watched the finished film.

Kail revealed there was never any debate over giving Maui long hair, explaining that cultural advisers from the Pacific Islands stressed its deep significance. 

In Polynesian tradition, he said, Maui's flowing locks are closely tied to his power and identity.

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