Disney’s live-action adaptation of Moana opened at the top of the North American box office over the weekend but fell well below industry expectations.
The film earned $43 million in the United States and Canada and an additional $52 million internationally, bringing its global opening weekend total to $95 million. While enough to secure the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, the performance was considered underwhelming for a film with a reported production budget of around $250 million, AP reported.
The live-action remake’s opening is closer to the disappointing debut of Disney’s 2025 Snow White than to the studio’s biggest live-action successes, such as Beauty and the Beast (2017) and The Lion King (2019).
Industry analysts say the film faced stiff competition from other family releases already playing in theaters, including Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters. In addition, many critics questioned the need for a live-action remake of a relatively recent animated classic, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Despite the soft opening, audience reactions were more positive than critics’. According to AP, moviegoers gave Moana an A- CinemaScore, and 63% of audiences surveyed by PostTrak said they would recommend the film.
