Jan 22, 2022

David G. Derrick directs the "Moana" series for Disney+

Veteran story artist David G. Derrick has been set to direct the upcoming musical long-form Moana series.

The Disney+ series will be the first production produced out of the new Vancouver outpost of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Derrick's first project at Disney was the original 2016 Moana feature. Since then, he's worked as a board artist on the cg remake of The Lion King, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Encanto. He is also working on the studio's upcoming feature, Strange World.

Prior to joining Disney, Derrick spent a decade in the story department at Dreamworks Animation on titles including Megamind, Bee Movie, Flushed Away, How the Train Your Dragon, and Rise of the Guardians. He studied fine art at the University of Utah, and later, animation at Calarts.

Osnat Shurer, who produced the original feature and is also producing the series, says of Derrick, “[His] great story instincts, his visionary cinematic style, and his deep love and commitment to Moana and the Pacific Island cultures that inspired her world, make him a perfect director for the series.”

Derrick is Samoan from his grandmother's side and has spoken in the past about his interest in working on Moana. He told the Boulder Weekly in 2016:

The Moana series is expected to debut in 2024.