Disney's Live-Action Moana Opens to $43 Million, Below Expectations
The live-action adaptation of Disney's Moana earned $43 million in its North American debut, falling short of the studio's $60 million forecast and marking one of the weaker openings for the company's recent remake slate.
Disney's live-action version of Moana opened in North America with $43 million, well under the studio's projected $60 million to $75 million range. The film, produced on a $250 million budget, joins other recent Disney remakes such as Snow White and Dumbo that posted opening weekends in the $40 million-$46 million bracket.
Critics gave the movie a 34 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lower-scored live-action adaptations, while audience surveys reported an A-grade CinemaScore, including an A+ from viewers under 18, and a 90 percent audience rating on the same site.
Industry analyst Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory, said timing was a key factor, noting that other Disney live-action projects like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King benefited from release windows that aligned with nostalgic demand. He added that each remake’s performance varies and that Disney continues to evaluate potential projects, including live-action versions of Robin Hood, Bambi and The Aristocats.
The film also faced strong competition from family-oriented releases such as Toy Story 5 and Illumination’s Minions & Monsters, which opened the same weekend. Despite the modest start, Disney hopes the movie’s positive audience reception will sustain its box office run in the coming weeks.