Disney’s Moana is no ordinary princess; she’s a heroine.
The 16-year-old Polynesian heroine, voiced by newcomer Auli’i Cravalho, is here to unleash a new wave of girl power across the world.
And she does it all by using the stars to navigate the open ocean, defeating a fuming lava god, and finding herself in the process.
All with a chicken in tow – because why not, eh?
Watch the full trailer for Disney’s Moana below:
Not only is the brave teenager in firm command of her own story, she’s also set to buck one of the most old-fashioned tropes sported by Disney princesses of old.
You guessed it; she’s going to battle the elements without a love interest.
Director John Musker told TIME: “We thought it would be very appealing to do a female empowerment story that didn’t centre on any sort of romance.”
Moana is also going to be the most body-positive princess out there, with animators purposefully steering clear of the impossibly teeny waists seen on the likes of Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora, Beauty & The Beast’s Belle, and Cinderella.
Instead she has a stronger and sturdier build, one which would believably allow her, in Musker’s words, “to hold her own in the demands of this physical environment.”
He added that he and co-director Ron Clements encouraged animators to put her form to the test, to ensure things were as realistic as possible.
They wanted to make sure that her musculature “lent itself to a girl who could credibly, single-handedly, survive the perils of the open sea”.
Speaking at Comic Con, Cravalho – who voices the princess – told the crowd: “She’s empowering, she’s empowered.
“As a teen I can relate with trying to find yourself. I really love her.”
She added proudly: “After watching [this movie], I knew I was a part of something really special.”
Moana is set 2,000 years ago in the South Pacific, follows the story of an incredibly brave 16-year-old girl, who heads off on an epic quest. Can she, with the help of a banished demi-god named Maul (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson), save the world?
Well, if any Disney princess can do it, our money’s on Moana.
Moana hits cinemas on 2 December 2016.
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