Disney’s live-action Moana debuts with underwhelming $95 million global …

Disney’s live-action adaptation of *Moana* opened to a subdued reception at the box office, earning $95 million globally in its first weekend — a figure that fell short of expectations and marked a notable underperformance for the studio’s latest cinematic endeavor. The film, which cost an estimated $250 million to produce, secured $43 million in North America and $52 million internationally, matching the $42.2 million debut of last year’s *Snow White*. Despite its status as the No. 1 domestic film, the results underscored challenges in translating beloved animated properties into live-action formats, particularly when met with critical skepticism and market saturation.

The 2016 animated *Moana* remains one of Disney’s most popular franchises, with its sequel, *Moana 2*, achieving a $225 million opening in 2024 and later surpassing $1 billion globally. However, the live-action version, directed by Thomas Kail and starring Dwayne Johnson as demigod Maui and Catherine Lagaʻaia as the titular Polynesian princess, faced a starkly different trajectory. Critics panned the film for its “shot-for-shot” replication of the original, awarding it a 34% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reactions, however, were more favorable: 63% of viewers said they would “definitely” recommend the film, while 78% of parents expressed similar enthusiasm, bolstered by an A- CinemaScore. Yet the disparity between critical and fan reception highlighted the film’s polarizing nature.

Industry analysts pointed to a confluence of factors behind the underwhelming debut. Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak, cited “PG-rated oversaturation” as a key challenge, noting that Disney’s *Moana* competed with Universal’s *Minions & Monsters* and Pixar’s *Toy Story 5*, which occupied the second and third spots in the domestic box office. “Families love going to the movies, but right now there are three of them,” Dergarabedian said, emphasizing the difficulty of standing out in a crowded market. While PG-rated films dominated 2024 and 2025, the data suggested a ceiling for such titles, with *Toy Story 5* continuing to outpace *Moana* despite its weaker opening.

The film’s financial outlook also raised concerns. Industry estimates suggested Disney could lose up to $100 million on the project, adding to the $170 million loss from *Snow White*. However, the success of *Moana 2* and the franchise’s enduring popularity on Disney+ hinted at a continued appetite for the IP in animated form. The live-action version’s struggles, meanwhile, contrasted with the broader health of the box office, which saw the year-to-date domestic total reach $5.2 billion — a 10.7% increase from the previous year. Analysts remained cautiously optimistic, noting that the summer’s underperformers, including *Supergirl*, might give way to stronger results with the upcoming releases of Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* and *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*.

Other films in the weekend’s top echelon included the R-rated horror *Evil Dead Burn*, which opened with $13.7 million, and Angel Studios’ *Young Washington*, which earned $6.4 million in its second weekend. Meanwhile, *Michael*, the musical biopic, crossed $1 billion worldwide, cementing its place as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time. These results underscored the fragmented nature of the summer box office, where niche titles and established franchises vied for attention amid shifting audience preferences.

For Disney, the *Moana* performance added to a pattern of mixed results with live-action remakes. While films like *Lilo & Stitch* and *Beauty and the Beast* achieved blockbuster success, others, including *The Lion King* (2019) and *Snow White*, struggled to replicate the magic of their animated predecessors. The studio’s decision to greenlight a live-action *Moana* amid these uncertainties reflected both the risks and rewards of revisiting iconic properties. As the film’s performance continues to unfold, its legacy may hinge on whether it can sustain momentum beyond the opening weekend, or if it will be remembered as another challenge in Disney’s ongoing experiment with cinematic reinvention.