arloGet the appMovies like Moana
2016 · Movie · PG · your starting pointIf you want Moana's blend of resourceful teenage heroism, ocean-centered adventure, and mythological stakes, you'll likely find traction with Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters or the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series—both match that balance of humor, genuine emotional weight, and a young protagonist discovering their destined power while crossing dangerous waters guided by supernatural forces. For the specific combo of oceanic transformation, environmental themes, and ancestral wisdom, Rebirth of Mothra II probably comes closest, though it trades Polynesian specificity for Japanese kaiju mythology. Moana 2 obviously mirrors the original's tone and cultural grounding most directly, but if you're after that same feel with fresh mythology, the Percy Jackson options are your safest bet.
Movies like Moana, ranked
1. Moana 2 (2024)
Moana returns with the same lush Polynesian animation, infectious humor, and themes of cultural heritage and ocean-bound destiny that made the original resonate.
2. Moana Waiwai (2021)
Ally Davey's three-day ocean crossing mirrors Moana's transformative voyage across the Pacific, grounding the same themes of personal courage and oceanic connection in a real wahine's quest to protect her island home.
4. Isle Of Forgotten Sins (1943)
The Ocean itself becomes a character driving both narratives, as protagonists navigate treacherous South Seas waters where natural forces and mythic stakes force them toward unexpected heroism and redemption.
Tell me what kind of night it is — I'll pick the one for you.