Disney's Live-Action Moana Opens Weakly, Prompting Strategy Questions
Disney released its live-action remake of “Moana”, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, in the United States and Canada this weekend. Fox News reported that the film opened with a 38 % critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers calling it lacking purpose and originality. The same outlet later noted a 32 % critic score and projected an opening-weekend gross of $40 million to $60 million against a reported $250 million budget. TheWrap said the movie earned about $45 million domestically in its opening weekend, trailing Disney’s recent “Snow White” remake. The Hollywood Reporter indicated an $18 million opening-day haul, well below Disney’s $60 million-plus weekend target. Variety reported the U. S.
weekend total at $43 million, describing it as one of the studio’s weakest live-action debuts. NBC News added that the film led the U. S. and Canada box office with $43 million but its worldwide debut reached $95 million, still short of expectations. Deadline confirmed the global opening at $95. 1 million, making it the second-largest worldwide debut that weekend behind Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu Soccer”. Variety later wrote that the under-performance prompted analysts to question Disney’s reliance on recent animated titles for live-action remakes.
