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In the paperwork identifying which tunes should be considered for the best original song Oscar for Disney’s forthcoming animated musical Moana 2, the company could have chosen any number of high-quality options featured on the film’s soundtrack, but, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, the studio is submitting just two: “Beyond” and “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”
Both numbers feature music and lyrics by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. “Beyond,” which also includes Pacific choral vocals written and arranged by Opetaia Foa’i, is essentially this film’s version of the first Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go” (the only song submitted for the 2016 film, and one which wound up with a nomination). “Beyond” is the classic Disney “I want” anthem and is performed in the film by the actress who plays the title character, Auli’i Cravalho (alongside Rachel House in the 2024 film). Meanwhile, “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” is essentially this film’s version of the first Moana’s “You’re Welcome,” in that it is a fun comic-relief song and is performed by the actor who plays the title character’s fellow adventurer, Dwayne Johnson.
Why did Disney zero in on just these two songs? The studio is not talking, but one can read between the lines given recent Oscars history.
For many years, Disney submitted many tunes from each of its animated musicals, and why not? It worked: 1989’s The Little Mermaid landed two nominations, including the eventual winner; 1991’s Beauty and the Beast landed three noms, including the eventual winner; 1992’s Aladdin landed two noms, including the eventual winner; and 2007’s Enchanted landed three noms. But then came pushback, because every one of the nominated tunes for those four films shared one songwriter: the great Alan Menken.
Some in the world of movie music began to lobby for a rule change that would preclude the Academy from heaping so much attention on any one specific film or songwriter. This resulted, in June 2008, in something that became informally known as “the Menken rule”: a policy dictating that no more than three songs from any one film may be submitted; no more than two songs from any one film by the exact same songwriters may be shortlisted; and no more than two songs from any film, regardless of writers, may be nominated.
Henceforth, Disney, apparently fearing that submitting multiple songs per film would backfire, began to submit just one, even for giant blockbuster musicals like 2013’s Frozen (“Let It Go,” which won) and the original Moana. But the studio was forced to reconsider this approach when it backfired with 2021’s Encanto. In that case, the studio filed its submissions before the film’s soundtrack was released, entering “Dos Oruguitas,” a very nice Spanish-language tune, rather than a different tune also written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which became a giant cultural phenomenon. “Dos Oruguitas” wound up with a nom, but “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” had it been eligible, probably could have won. So, in more recent years, the studio has returned to something of a middle-ground when it comes to submissions.
Realistically, could both of the Barlow and Bear submissions from Moana 2, “Beyond” and “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” wind up with noms? It’s certainly possible. But it would make Moana 2 only the second film to land multiple nods in the category since La La Land eight seasons ago, after Barbie did so last season.
Moana 2 will be released on Nov. 27.
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