The numbers are in, and they are not kind. Disney’s live-action “Moana” has opened to roughly $43 million domestically and about $95 million worldwide, a result that ranks among the worst debuts ever for one of the studio’s live-action remakes. With a reported production budget of $250 million before marketing, the film faces a steep climb toward profitability.
A Weekend That Fell Short Of Expectations
The soft opening was foreshadowed on Thursday night, when the film managed just $4.5 million in previews. Early tracking had once pointed toward a far healthier debut, and the final figure lands well below where a Disney tentpole carrying this level of brand recognition would normally be expected to land in July. According to Variety, the film is now contending with 2025’s “Snow White” for the lowest opening among Disney’s live-action remakes.
The context makes the result sting more. The 2016 animated “Moana” became a streaming juggernaut and one of the most-watched titles of its era, and the remake arrived with Dwayne Johnson reprising Maui alongside newcomer Catherine Laga’aia as Moana. Instead of translating that goodwill into a blockbuster launch, the film has become the latest cautionary tale in Disney’s ongoing remake strategy.
Reviews Weighed It Down, But Audiences Are Warmer
Critics were unusually harsh, with the film landing one of the lowest scores of any Disney live-action remake and drawing pointed criticism for how its photorealistic approach handled moments that worked as animation. As we reported when the live-action Moana opened to the worst reviews in the franchise’s history, the reception was brutal out of the gate.
There is one bright spot. Audiences who actually turned out gave the film an A- CinemaScore, a strong grade that suggests better word of mouth than the reviews would indicate. That could translate into stronger legs in the weeks ahead, particularly with family audiences during summer break, though it would take an extraordinary hold to close the gap created by this opening. International markets still have room to grow, and the film’s performance overseas will ultimately determine how deep the losses run.
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