Disney May Have Changed Moana's Title In Italy For An Explicit Reason
"Moana" is an animated adventure that's fun for the whole family, but the movie's title has X-rated connotations in Italy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Disney film was changed to "Oceania" to avoid confusion with Moana Pozzi, an adult entertainment star who transcended her primary profession.
While Pozzi was associated with pornographic movies, she earned mainstream status in Italy — so much so that when she died in 1994, aged 33, the nation entered a mourning period. Sure, she made some risque movies, but Pozzi had many fans who were more enamored with her intelligence. She was a popular talk show guest and a strong advocate for sexual freedom and LGBTQ rights, so her audience extended beyond adult entertainment. Since then, movies and miniseries have been made about her life. Pozzi was a bona fide household name, and moviegoers in Italy may have associated "Moana" with her instead of the all-time great Disney movie.
That said, "Moana" wasn't only given a new title in Italy. The film was also renamed in other European countries, albeit for less explicit reasons.
Moana might have to change its title all over again
The Hollywood Reporter article also states that "Moana" was changed to "Vaiana" in Spain and other European countries to avoid legal troubles with a brand of the same name. The report notes that it isn't uncommon for Disney to rebrand its movies differently for other territories, and the studio does this for various reasons. For example, "Frozen" was rechristened as "The Snow Queen" and "Frost" in certain regions.
Of course, the process might happen all over again as "Moana" is about to get its own Disney live-action remake. Unfortunately, Auli'i Cravalho won't reprise the titular role in the "Moana" redo, but Dwayne Johnson is still on board. That isn't the only project on the horizon either, as "Moana 2" — a sequel to the animated film — is also in the works. That one will see Moana and Maui embark on a new adventure, but details about the project are being kept under wraps for now.
If you're a fan of the Disney movie, check out the untold truth of "Moana."