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Disney forced to re-title Moana in Italy because of a connection to a porn star

Disney has renamed its upcoming animated feature Moana in Italy, calling it Oceania. The reason behind the change is one of the country’s most popular porn stars, the late Moana Pozzi,

Updated on: Nov 18, 2016, 15:16:36 IST
PTI | By , Los Angeles
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Disney has renamed its upcoming animated feature Moana in Italy, and will now call it Oceania.

Disney’s Moana stars The Rock in a supporting role.
Disney’s Moana stars The Rock in a supporting role.

The reason behind the change is one of the country’s most popular porn stars, the late Moana Pozzi, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A Disney source in California said only “The studio frequently changes titles in foreign territories for a wide variety of reasons.”

“On a mystic island in Polynesia, the 16-year-old strong-willed daughter of the chief of the tribe, Moana from Motunui Island, is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite the Heart of Te Fiti. She sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod and hopes to save her people,” reads a plot description of the film.

The movie will be released as Oceania in Italy on December 22, referring to the region of islands in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

In Europe, the film has the title Vaiana, or ‘water cave’. Disney Spain confirmed that the name change was the result of Moana being a registered brand in Spain and other European countries. The title character throughout Europe has the name Vaiana instead of Moana.

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