A little more than 10 years ago, Lin-Manuel Miranda was still performing on Broadway in “Hamilton” while writing the music for Disney’s “Moana.”

Moana has since grossed more than $643 million at the global box office, and its 2024 sequel grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. This weekend, the live-action version of the film hits theaters starring Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui, with Catherine Laga’aia in the title role. Like the animated film, the film follows Moana’s journey as she restores the heart of Te Fiti and helps her people of Motunui. Johnson’s Maui joins Moana on her quest.

It’s only fitting that Miranda returns, not only to bring new musical elements to the film, but also to write a new song for the franchise called “Along The Way.”

Miranda talked about returning to “Moana” and working with her longtime collaborator and friend, Tommy Kail, who is making his feature film directorial debut.

You shared that photo with you, Thomas Kail, and Christopher Jackson. Did you ever think Thomas Kail would direct a live-action ‘Moana’?

No, I was hoping to be alive for the live-action “Moana.” People don’t know that Tommy helped us direct our Oscar portion of “Moana.” I was in “Mary Poppins Returns” at the time. People don’t remember this: I was in London, learning to dance like a lamplighter. He didn’t have time, so they hired Tommy and asked him, “Can you get me to write an introduction to Auliʻi for the Oscars?” Tommy’s start working on “Moana” was actually in 2017, when I wrote some verses to introduce “How Far I’ll Go” for the ceremony. That was the first time he worked with Auliʻi as she expressed it so beautifully. I didn’t even think that that circle would come full circle: that Tommy would be the person they chose to direct the live action of the first movie. But it was a great relief for my shoulders. It was like, “Okay, great, the movie is in good hands, because I can’t think of anyone more prepared, calm and qualified to direct a movie of this size.”

What was the call or proposal for “Along the Way”?

The song didn’t exist while we were filming it. We go into production with the songs that already exist in it. I made little changes here and there: I make “Shiny” rhyme a little better. I extended the rap outro of “You’re Welcome” a bit. Just little things that always bothered me and I thought I could improve. I also have Alex Lacamoire, who has been my musical right-hand man for many years, as the music supervisor on the film, so that was great too. I think it was during one of Auli’i’s visits to the set that Tommy came up to me and said, “There’s another person in the world who knows what Katie’s going through, and it’s Auli’i. Maybe this is an opportunity for them to talk or for the torch to be passed.” I said, “Stop talking to me. That’s the idea. That’s it. You got it. I’ll call you in a week.” I hung up the Zoom and started writing the song as fast as I could because when the idea is that good, it writes itself. It was delightful to write the idea of ​​Auliʻi as someone who is the only other person who has gone through this journey that Katie is taking, both in and out of the film, and as an opportunity for sisterhood, council, and this ancestral transmission.

What was the first line that occurred to you, or verse?

I wrote it chronologically. “You’re on your way. You’re in the ocean.” To quote “The West Wing,” Bradley Whitford’s character says, “I’ve been where you are and I know the way out.” That was the beginning of the impulse: “I know where you’ve been and I’m here.” It was really that simple.

The song feels so fluid. It could have been in the animated version. It didn’t feel introduced for the sake of inclusion. How does that happen musically and creatively?

I think a couple of things. First, “Moana” never went away. It’s like reconnecting with “Moana.” I don’t think a week goes by without someone sending me their kid singing “Moana,” or their kid’s class singing “Moana,” or their kid’s school playing “Moana” Junior, or a video of my friends who are visiting Disney World and hearing my song playing over the fireworks at the end of the night. It’s really special.

The other thing I don’t think most people see is that we actually introduced the song into the body of the movie in the section where Maui is training Moana and teaching her to sail. You are listening. “Along the Road”, but Opetaia Foaʻi has translated and reorchestrated it; It is in Tokelauan and not in English. So you’ll have already heard the melody in the body of the film by the time the end credits roll.

And who better to sing it than Opetaia Foaʻi?

Opetaia Foaʻi is the secret sauce. They can do “Moanas” 4, 5 and 6, they don’t need me. As long as they have Opetaia Foaʻi, it will be authentic to this music and this culture.

What was Tommy’s reaction when you sent him the song?

What I do with Tommy is I just send him a verse and a chorus. I’m not going to finish the whole song and then find out he doesn’t like it. I wrote the first verse and the chorus and I thought, “Am I on the right track? If Tommy says, ‘Keep going,’ I keep going. Because I’m superstitious; I wrote all those first songs when I was still in ‘Hamilton.’ So Phillipa Soo is my first Moana, on all my demos. Chris Jackson ended up singing and being the dad’s singing voice because he sang my demo. So when it came down to it, when I finished the song, my first call was to Jasmine Cephas Jones and Philippa Soo and they I said: “Could you sing me this demo? I know we’re not under the same roof anymore, but could you please? I wanted to stay connected to that energy of the original and just call up my talented friends and say, “Come in here and sing this.”

What was it like hearing ‘How Far I’ll Go’ at the Hollywood Bowl during the premiere with the Los Angeles Philharmonic? It felt very emotional.

I can’t believe they got the LA Phil for the premiere. The only thing I wanted for Father’s Day was to see the New York Phillies play “Encanto” and it was like a dream come true. I had to go on stage and meet them afterwards, and my whole family had to go. Playing the score on opening night is like any other shit, and it was a really special way to bring the movie to the world.

I still think it should have won Best Original Song at the Oscars. Can we redeem ourselves with ‘Along the Way’?

My publicist nods from behind the computer. It was a very competitive year. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are my friends and I love them and I love that they are young EGOTS. It could have been anything that night.

What’s it like then to have a song that could be considered for the Oscar in a year when you have Taylor Swift, Travis Scott and Lady Gaga?

You’re timing it more than me. Someone on the red carpet asked me, “How does it feel to know you might be in EGOT consideration with a newlywed?” And I said, “Is Diane Warren a newlywed?” Cool. And then I realized they were talking about Taylor and that great song. But again, I don’t pay attention to those things. It’s only at the end of the year that you get nominated for things like that. It’s like getting a ticket to a moonshot. It’s great to be able to go to the moon, but I live here on Earth and then you come back.

What does that mean that a new generation and fans who have loved this movie for years are going to see a live-action ‘Moana’ with all this representation of the Pacific Islands and this movie that Tommy directed?

I am very proud of the work he did. I think as far as the why and why so soon after the original. This movie has become a classic in record time because people love it. The difference between a live-action film and an animated film is that there are hundreds of Pacific Islanders with jobs on that screen that proudly represent their culture and heritage. I was on set when we were filming. The only other experience I can compare it to is making the movie “In the Heights.” When they shouted ‘cut’, people continued dancing and singing. The cast sings their own songs from their own culture and are very proud to be a part of something that represents them on a global stage. And I felt very proud to be a part of that. Tommy hired beautifully and authentically across the board, in all of these departments, to make sure that this culture sees itself and feels seen.

How is ‘Octeto’, your next film, going?

We finished filming on June 12 and I’m editing. The moment I stop talking about “Moana,” I go to my editing room with my editor Jonah Moran. The only thing you want when you’re doing something is to be able to do something else. I am very proud of what we accomplished with my first film, “Tick, Tick… ​​Boom!” Not only the film itself, but also the atmosphere we created when making it. So when Amanda Seyfried’s team finds out that I want to meet with her about this, they call Andrew Garfield, and Andrew Garfield says, “Run, don’t walk. You’re going to have a lot of fun.” I feel grateful that the caliber of actors I had in “Octet” even agreed to be in the film. “Octet” is an a cappella musical, which means that my cast is also my orchestra. They are my call sheet and they are also the LA Phil. So I needed elite actors and singers and I got them.