Disney's live-action adaptation of Moana has made a subdued debut at the box office, earning an estimated $95 million globally during its opening weekend. This figure places the film just ahead of the $87.3 million opening weekend of the live-action Snow White, which was previously noted for its underwhelming performance.
The domestic earnings for the Moana remake reached an estimated $43 million, with an additional $52 million coming from international markets. While this performance was enough to secure the number one spot for the mid-July weekend, it falls significantly short of Disney's internal hopes, which had projected domestic earnings between $60 million and $65 million and international earnings as high as $75 million. This softer-than-expected debut is particularly concerning given the film's reported budget of $250 million.
This box office outcome for Moana follows a similar disappointment with Snow White last year, which reportedly led to the indefinite delay of the live-action Tangled movie. Although Tangled has since seen renewed development, including new cast additions after the success of the live-action Lilo and Stitch, the performance of Moana could prompt further reassessment of Disney's live-action remake strategy. Other planned adaptations include live-action versions of Bambi, Hercules, and a sequel to Lilo and Stitch, as well as a project centered on Beauty and the Beast villain Gaston.
In separate box office news, Universal Pictures and Lionsgate's Michael Jackson biopic has surpassed $1 billion globally, marking a historic achievement for a biopic. Meanwhile, Toy Story 5 is approaching the $1 billion mark, having garnered $879 million after its fourth weekend. Supergirl's box office total currently stands at $115.4 million, indicating significant losses for Warner Bros. and its developing DCU slate.
IGN's review of the live-action Moana described it as "a frame-by-frame retelling of the Disney animated musical that doesn't do enough to justify being made," awarding it a 6/10. The film stars Catherine Laga'aia as Moana and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson reprising his role as Maui.