Disney's live-action remake of Moana led the North American box office over the weekend but opened well below expectations, taking an estimated 43 million dollars from 3,827 cinemas in a debut studios and analysts alike had hoped would be far stronger. Despite finishing first, the result ranks among the weakest launches for any of Disney's recent live-action remakes.
The muted start is a particular concern given the film's reported production budget of around 250 million dollars, a figure that does not include marketing costs. Overseas the picture was similarly subdued, with about 52 million dollars from international markets lifting the global opening to roughly 95 million. The film had earned 4.5 million dollars in preview screenings and about 18 million on its opening day.
The remake stars Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role as the demigod Maui from the 2016 animated hit, alongside newcomer Catherine Laga'aia in the title role of Moana. It was directed by Thomas Kail, best known for staging the musical Hamilton, and adapts the Pacific-set coming-of-age adventure that became one of Disney's most popular animated properties.
Reviews were harsh, with critics giving the film a rating of just 35 percent on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences who did turn out were considerably warmer, awarding it an A-minus grade on CinemaScore exit polls, a gap that suggests the film may hold up better with families than the reviews imply, even if the opening figure disappointed.
The debut places Moana in uncomfortable company, contending with the 2025 release of Snow White, which opened to about 42 million dollars, for the distinction of the lowest launch among Disney's live-action remakes. The comparison is especially stark against the original animated Moana and its 2024 sequel, both of which performed strongly, underscoring the challenge of translating beloved animation into live action.
Studio executives will now be watching closely to see whether positive word of mouth and the school-holiday period can give the film longer legs than its opening suggests. The outcome is likely to feed an ongoing industry debate about the value of Disney's remake strategy, as several recent attempts to reimagine animated classics have struggled to justify their escalating budgets.
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