Burbank, California: The Walt Disney Company’s live-action adaptation of Moana debuted at the top of the North American box office but delivered a weaker-than-expected opening weekend despite leading ticket sales.
The film, which reportedly carried a production budget of $250 million, earned $43 million across the United States and Canada during its opening weekend, according to studio estimates.
Overseas, it added $52 million from 50 international markets, bringing its global debut to $95 million. Disney had high expectations for the remake, given the franchise’s strong popularity.
Moana is beloved by audiences and now playing around the world! pic.twitter.com/v10b7NJZ0P
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) July 12, 2026
The original 2016 animated Moana remains the most-streamed film on Disney+, while its 2024 sequel surpassed $1 billion at the global box office after setting a Thanksgiving opening weekend record with $225 million.
Directed by Thomas Kail, the live-action version sees Dwayne Johnson reprise his role as the demigod Maui, alongside Australian actress Catherine Lagaʻaia, who makes her debut as Moana. While Lagaʻaia’s performance has received praise, the film has drawn criticism for closely mirroring the original animated version.
The remake currently holds a 34 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reception has been more favourable, with 63 percent of moviegoers surveyed by PostTrak saying they would definitely recommend the film to friends. Among parents, that figure rises to 78 percent, and the movie also received an A- CinemaScore.
Disney’s recent live-action remakes have produced mixed results. Films including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Lilo & Stitch each crossed the $1 billion mark globally, while Snow White earned just $205 million worldwide.
Moana’s opening was similar to Snow White’s, which debuted with $42.2 million domestically and $87 million globally. The North American box office has generated nearly $5.2 billion so far this year, representing a 10.7 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
Although May and June each surpassed $1 billion in ticket sales, July has been impacted by several underperforming releases, including Supergirl. Industry analysts expect momentum to improve with the upcoming releases of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which could help deliver an unusually strong August for cinemas.
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