Disney's live-action Moana opens to a disappointing $43 million domestically, marking one of the studio's weakest theatrical launches in recent memory. The film earned $95 million globally, well short of the projected $130 million worldwide target. The underperformance signals trouble for a remake strategy that has struggled to replicate the goodwill of animated originals.
The film's A- CinemaScore suggests audiences who showed up weren't turned away entirely, but opening weekend numbers tell a starker story. A $43 million domestic start ranks among Disney's poorest live-action efforts, particularly troubling given the built-in recognition of the 2016 animated Moana, which grossed over $600 million worldwide and spawned a successful sequel. The live-action remake, helmed by director Jon M. Chu, enlisted Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho to reprise their voice roles in physical form, but that star power failed to drive audiences.
The broader box office landscape reflects persistent headwinds for tentpole releases. Disney's strategy of converting beloved animated franchises into live-action spectacles has proven uneven. While films like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast found commercial success, recent attempts have struggled. This Moana stumble arrives alongside a crowded marketplace where audiences are increasingly selective about theatrical experiences.
The A- score provides some runway for legs, but opening weekend performance typically signals a film's trajectory. Without massive word-of-mouth or holiday-driven surges, the path to profitability narrows considerably. For Disney, the result forces uncomfortable questions about live-action remake viability and whether nostalgia alone drives theatrical attendance anymore.
International markets compounded the problem, with the film underperforming globally. This suggests the live-action approach didn't resonate across territories where the original