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SALT LAKE CITY — "Moana 2" breezed into theaters Wednesday, and David Derrick Jr., a Utahn who worked on the original as a story artist, called the sequel that he helped direct "bigger and crazier."
Three years after the original film, Moana, voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, sets sail on a new journey in the South Pacific, tasked with breaking a curse that has kept the peoples of the ocean divided, reuniting with demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
But the sequel is personal for Derrick, who grew up in Farmington.
His ancestors were the first Samoans to settle in the Beehive State and lived in the ghost town of Iosepa in Skull Valley in the late 1800s. Working on a dream project like "Moana" has allowed Derrick to learn more about his Polynesian culture.
"We tried to pull inspiration from all of the various islands," said Derrick. "They are very specific; even some of the tattoos are very specific to certain regions."
Derrick also said it was important to give Moana a sister, which he said was inspired by his relationship with his two children.
And a fan favorite, Pua, Moana's pet pig, is back, after Derrick it said was the subject of many fan letters — some angry.
Regardless, he takes deep pride in the long-awaited sequel.
"My hope is that everyone sees themselves, and they can celebrate that," he said.