Disney president Dana Walden has attributed the disappointing box office performance of the live-action Moana film to "unusual circumstances," while also asserting that the movie itself is "excellent."
Speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime event, Walden suggested that the film's commercial struggles were a result of a highly competitive market and unfortunate timing. "It's so competitive right now that you have to have... the right film at the right time, with audiences feeling a certain degree of demand," Walden stated. She further elaborated that the live-action Moana "was hurt by the proximity to our second animated version of Moana, which came together under unusual circumstances, but premiered about 18 months before this one."
The "unusual circumstances" to which Walden referred involve Disney's pivot of Moana 2 from a planned Disney+ series to a theatrical release. This shift resulted in the animated sequel being scheduled for release approximately a year and a half before the live-action adaptation, potentially diminishing anticipation for the latter.
Walden concluded, "Perhaps there was not enough time to create a lot of pent-up demand for another film." Critics, however, have pointed out that the timing issue was a self-inflicted wound by Disney, and that the live-action film might have benefited from a longer gap between releases.
Beyond the scheduling, the film's critical reception has also been a factor. While Walden maintains the film is "great," its approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes stands at 33%, with an average score of 4.8/10. Pre-release, the film faced audience criticism regarding its CGI backgrounds and memes that targeted Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's wig. IGN's review of the live-action Moana gave it a 6/10, stating that the "frame-by-frame retelling of the Disney animated musical doesn't do enough to justify being made."
While the Moana franchise is set to continue with a third animated film, following the success of Moana 2, there have been no announcements regarding a potential live-action sequel.