How the live-action Moana recreated Motunui on a farm and what’s in the home release

# What this brief covers This explains the home‑release rollout for the live‑action Moana, what the bonus features show about production, and why the filmmakers built Motunui on a farm rather than relying solely on soundstage work or CGI.

# Quick release facts Moana will be available on premium digital platforms on Sept. 8. Physical formats — 4K, Blu‑Ray and DVD — are scheduled for Oct. 6. The story follows Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) as they sail beyond the reef to restore prosperity to Motunui.

# Building Motunui: a village on a farm The standout behind‑the‑scenes detail in the bonus material is the location choice. Producer Hiram Garcia says the production needed "a lot of acreage to build the village," so the team built the Motunui set on a farm. Production designer John Myhre explains the intent: director Tommy Kail wanted actors to interact with a real, tangible village rather than imagining it against green screens.

# Bonus features summarized

• Behind the scenes of the Motunui village build on a farm, with production commentary on acreage, set pieces, and how the environment shaped shooting.
• A sing‑along feature tied to the movie's music.
• A feature about casting Catherine Laga'aia as Moana and what telling the story meant to the cast and crew and their culture.

These extras focus on production craft, casting choices, and cultural context rather than extended deleted scenes or isolated technical breakdowns.

# What this means for viewers If you prefer tangible production design and actor‑grounded performances, the bonus material highlights an approach that favors built environments over purely digital ones. The farm build gives audiences a peek at how physical sets are used to create a lived‑in island environment and how that choice affects blocking, camera movement, and actor interactions.

Casual viewers will find the sing‑along a ready entertainment add‑on. Viewers interested in casting and cultural storytelling will find the piece about Catherine Laga'aia useful for understanding how the filmmakers approached representation.

# Distribution and corporate note The coverage identifies Walt Disney Studios as the studio behind the release. The Walt Disney Company is noted as the parent company of the reporting station.

# Bottom line The home release packages the live‑action Moana with production features that highlight a practical, large‑scale set build on a farm, and it includes music and casting featurettes that aim to give context to the film's creative choices. Expect early digital access on Sept. 8 and disc formats on Oct. 6.