Lin-Manuel Miranda Confirms He Won’t Score Moana 3

Lin-Manuel Miranda has closed the book on his involvement with Disney’s Moana franchise. Speaking to Deadline, the songwriter was direct: “My time in the Moanaverse is done, but I can’t wait to see how far she’ll go.”

Miranda’s connection to the property runs deep. He composed the songs for the 2016 original, including “How Far I’ll Go,” which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and won a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media. His work helped define the film’s musical identity.

The news comes as the franchise moves forward without him. Scheduling conflicts already kept Miranda from the 2024 sequel, where songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear took over. He did return to contribute new music to this year’s live-action remake, but that appears to have been a final gesture rather than a new chapter.

Dwayne Johnson confirmed earlier this year that a third Moana film is in active development. Miranda won’t be part of it. The question now is whether Disney’s animation music pipeline can sustain the franchise’s standard without its original architect. The 2024 sequel already tested that transition, and the live-action remake offered one last collaborative moment.

Miranda’s departure is less a creative rupture than a passing of responsibilities. The Moana films will continue, but the musical voice that first set the franchise in motion won’t be returning to the writing room.