Disney's Live-Action 'Moana' Faces Low Reviews and Modest Box-Office Expectations
The live-action remake of Disney's 'Moana' opened with a 32% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and is projected to earn between $40 million and $60 million in its opening weekend against a reported $250 million budget.
Disney's live-action adaptation of "Moana" opened in theaters on July 10 after early critical reviews indicated a poor reception. The film holds a 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which has since risen modestly to 39%, making it one of the studio's lower-scoring recent releases.
Industry analysts expect the movie to generate roughly $40 million to $60 million in its North American opening weekend, a figure that reflects the high production cost reported at about $250 million. The projected earnings are comparable to those for Disney's recent live-action "Snow White" remake, which opened to similar box-office numbers.
Critics have questioned the necessity of the remake, noting that the original animated "Moana" debuted less than a decade ago and its sequel was released two years earlier. A reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle described the film as a "money grab" and said it feels "lifeless" compared with the animated version. The Daily Telegraph gave the movie two out of five stars, suggesting that the final product resembles something that could be generated by an artificial-intelligence prompt.
The remake retains the original plot, following a Polynesian teenager who teams with the demigod Maui to save her island. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson returns as Maui, though his appearance, including a long curly wig, attracted criticism from some viewers.
While Disney's live-action remakes have produced mixed financial results—"Dumbo" (2019) opened with $45 million domestically and "Snow White" (2025) with about $43 million—the studio saw a major success with the live-action "Lilo & Stitch," which surpassed $1 billion worldwide.
Walt Disney Studios did not respond to a request for comment.