Disney’s live-action remake of “Moana” claimed the top spot at the domestic box office this weekend, but the victory came with little to celebrate — the film’s opening numbers fell well short of what the studio was counting on.
The movie, which reportedly cost $250 million to make, brought in just $43 million from ticket sales across the U.S. and Canada during its opening weekend, based on studio estimates released Sunday. Overseas, the film added another $52 million across 50 markets, bringing its total global debut to $95 million.
Disney had high hopes for the project, given that “Moana” is one of its most beloved franchises. The original 2016 animated film holds the title of the most-watched movie on Disney+. Its follow-up, “Moana 2” — which was assembled from a planned streaming series — crossed the $1 billion mark and set a Thanksgiving opening record with $225 million when it debuted in 2024, just 19 months ago.
This new version, directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson back in the role of the demigod Maui, while Catherine Lagaʻaia steps in as the adventurous Polynesian princess. Although Lagaʻaia received praise for her performance, the film sailed into a storm of negative reviews, with many critics calling it little more than a scene-by-scene retread of the original animated movie.
The film currently holds a 34% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were more forgiving — 66% of opening weekend viewers were women, and according to PostTrak, 63% said they would “definitely” recommend it to others. Among parents, that number jumped to 78%. The film also earned an A- CinemaScore rating.
Disney’s track record with live-action remakes of its animated classics is a mixed bag. Some have crossed the $1 billion mark, including “Lilo & Stitch,” “The Lion King,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Others have struggled, with last year’s “Snow White” standing out as a notable disappointment, finishing with just $205 million worldwide.
Paul Dergarabedian, who heads marketplace trends for Rentrak, suggested that the crowded family film landscape may have played a role in “Moana’s” underwhelming start. Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” came in second place with $20.5 million, and “Toy Story 5” was close behind in third with $18.5 million.
“Families love going to the movies, but right now there are three of them,” Dergarabedian said. “That’s a lot of competition.”
He noted that while PG-rated films outperformed others in both 2024 and 2025, “Moana’s” numbers may not signal family movie burnout — rather, they may simply reflect a natural ceiling when audiences are forced to choose. “Toy Story 5” continues to perform well after four weekends, with a running worldwide total of $879.1 million.
There are also indications that opening weekend numbers may not tell the whole story. “Minions & Monsters” opened below expectations over the Fourth of July holiday but saw only a modest 45% drop this weekend, pushing its domestic running total to $108.3 million.
The other major new release this weekend was a sharp departure from family fare. The R-rated horror film “Evil Dead Burn,” released by Warner Bros., opened to $13.7 million and landed in fourth place.
Rounding out the top five was Angel Studios’ “Young Washington,” a film about George Washington, which brought in $6.4 million in its second weekend in theaters.
