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‘Moana’ Makes Underwhelming Splash at Box Office With $43 Million Opening
Disney's new live-action remake of Moana topped the domestic box office in its opening weekend but delivered a disappointing performance given its scale and pedigree. The film, which reportedly cost $250 million to produce, took just $43 million across the US and Canada and $52 million internationally for a $95 million global debut, an underwhelming start for one of the studio's most valuable franchises. The result matters because Disney had bet heavily on Moana, whose 2016 animated original is the most-watched film on Disney+ and whose 2024 sequel earned over $1 billion and set a Thanksgiving opening record with $225 million.
Directed by Thomas Kail, the remake brings back Dwayne Johnson as Maui and introduces Catherine Laga'aia as the title character, who won praise even as critics panned the film as a near shot-for-shot copy of the original, leaving it at 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were warmer, with an A- CinemaScore and 63% of PostTrak respondents saying they would "definitely" recommend it, rising to 78% among parents. Analyst Paul Dergarabedian attributed the soft opening partly to a crowded family market, with Universal's Minions & Monsters ($20.5 million) and Toy Story 5 ($18.5 million) also in the top three, while the R-rated horror Evil Dead Burn opened to $13.7 million and Young Washington rounded out the top five with $6.4 million.
In short
- Live-action Moana opened at No. 1 but took only $43 million domestically.
- The $250 million film drew dismal reviews, sitting at 34% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- A crowded family-film market is blamed for the soft debut.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The film topped the weekend box office and resonated with audiences, earning an A- CinemaScore with 78% of parents saying they would definitely recommend it. Opening weekends for animated-to-live-action adaptations and family films in a crowded market do not necessarily predict full theatrical runs, and the strong audience reception suggests robust legs and word-of-mouth potential, particularly given the animated original's history of sustained viewership and the franchise's proven appeal across multiple weekends and platforms.
The case against
A $250 million production opening to just $43 million domestically represents a significant financial concern, particularly given that the original 2016 animated film is the most-watched title on Disney+ and the 2024 sequel earned over $1 billion with a record-breaking $225 million opening. The dramatic underperformance relative to both the source material's proven appeal and the sequel's success, coupled with poor critical reception at 34% on Rotten Tomatoes, suggests Disney miscalculated in investing such a substantial budget in what critics describe as a near shot-for-shot remake rather than a distinctively new creative offering.
Explained simply
Moana is an animated Disney film released in 2016 that tells the story of a young Polynesian woman who embarks on a daring voyage across the ocean to save her island. The original became hugely popular and is particularly successful on Disney's streaming platform, where it remains one of the most-watched films.
The franchise's popularity led Disney to commission a live-action remake, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui and Catherine Laga'aia playing the title character, directed by Thomas Kail. This follows the commercial success of a sequel to the animated original, released in 2024.
The live-action adaptation is part of a broader Hollywood trend of remaking successful animated films with real actors. Industry observers will watch how audiences respond to this version.