Overview
- The live‑action Moana opened to roughly $43 million in North America and $95 million worldwide in its July 10–12 opening weekend, placing first at the box office but well below studio forecasts.
- Trade reports now estimate Disney could lose between $100 million and $125 million because the production is reported near $250 million and global marketing around $145 million.
- Critics gave the film poor reviews while audiences responded positively, with around a mid‑30s critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A‑ CinemaScore and roughly 90% audience approval.
- Analysts point to timing and market crowding as key problems, noting the remake arrived less than two years after Moana 2 and competed directly with family tentpoles such as Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters.
- The film’s path forward will depend on how well it holds in coming weeks overseas and domestically, what it earns before a planned Disney+ or PVOD window, and whether this result prompts Disney to rethink its live‑action remake slate.