‘Moana’ Falters at the Box Office, Casting Doubt on Disney’s Formula

How much “Moana” is too much? In a franchise-management misstep, Disney just found out.

Disney’s live-action “Moana,” arriving less than two years after “Moana 2,” was on pace to collect roughly $43 million at the domestic box office from Thursday through Sunday, the company said on Sunday. Disney had been aiming for $60 million or more.

Overseas, the latest “Moana” added $52 million, for a worldwide opening of about $95 million — a brutal start for a movie that cost about $250 million to make and at least another $100 million to market. Studios split ticket sales roughly 50-50 with theaters.

Reviews were overwhelmingly negative.

In a statement, Disney called the weekend total “a good start ahead of a full month of summer vacation play with families.” The company noted that moviegoers were much more forgiving than critics: The Rotten Tomatoes audience score stood at 90 percent positive on Sunday. Ticket buyers gave the new “Moana” an A-minus grade in CinemaScore exit polls.

“This release also builds on nearly a decade of Moana’s growth as a franchise,” Disney added.

The animated “Moana” (2016) and “Moana 2” (2024) were the two most-streamed movies on Disney+ last year, the company said. Music from the first films has been played more than 26 billion times across music streaming services. Disney parks and cruise ships offer at least 35 “Moana”-themed experiences, from attractions to parades to character meet-and-greets. Retailers have sold more than 22 million “Moana”-themed toys since 2016.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/business/media/moana-box-office-disney.html