Disney’s Live-Action Moana Flops at Box Office, Risks Over $100 Million Loss

Disney’s live-action adaptation of Moana has underperformed significantly at the global box office, earning only $95 million in its opening weekend. This figure is notably disappointing given the film’s production budget of approximately $250 million, with an additional $120 million spent on marketing. In North America alone, the movie grossed just $43 million, falling well short of industry expectations.

The financial shortfall threatens to cause Disney losses exceeding $100 million if the film does not improve its performance in the coming weeks. This outcome contrasts sharply with the original 2016 animated Moana, which grossed over $640 million worldwide and became one of Disney+’s most-watched titles. The sequel, Moana 2, also surpassed $1 billion at the box office, setting high expectations for the new adaptation.

Critics have been harsh, with the live-action version holding a low 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many reviewers criticized it as a near-identical copy of the original animation without significant new value. Despite the film’s weak box office start, Disney emphasizes that Moana remains a lucrative brand, having generated over 22 million toy sales globally, billions of soundtrack streams, theme park attractions, and substantial streaming viewership.

Nevertheless, the disappointing reception of Moana’s live-action remake, following the failure of Snow White, may prompt Disney to reconsider its strategy for reviving animated classics through live-action films. The studio is likely to reevaluate the timing and approach for future adaptations based on these recent setbacks.