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Action 'Moana' Makes Only $18 Million on Opening Day
WDW News Today • • general
Key Points:
- The live-action Moana, starring Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Lagaʻaia, opened with $18 million on its first day, including $4.5 million from Thursday previews, signaling a slow start in North America.
- This opening is significantly lower than other recent Disney live-action remakes, such as Lilo & Stitch ($55M), The Lion King ($78.5M), and Beauty and the Beast ($63.8M) on their respective opening days.
- The original 2016 animated Moana was a major success, grossing $248.7 million domestically and $684.3 million worldwide, while the 2024 animated sequel Moana 2 earned over $1 billion globally.
- Opening weekend projections for live-action Moana have dropped from an initial $85 million estimate to between $42 million and $46 million, with Disney reportedly spending $250 million on production excluding marketing costs.
- Early critical reception is lukewarm, with the film holding a 33% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting mixed reviews.
