Remake of "Moana" disappoints at the box office start, despite a budget of $250 million
Kyiv • UNN
The live-action remake of "Moana" grossed $95 million worldwide in its opening weekend, significantly below expectations. Critics rated the film only 34%, although audiences were more favorable.
Disney's artistic remake of "Moana" topped the global box office, but its debut box office earnings turned out to be significantly lower than expected. This is reported by the Associated Press, writes UNN.
Details
According to preliminary studio estimates, the film grossed $43 million in the US and Canada over its opening weekend, and another $52 million across 50 international markets. In total, the film's global earnings reached $95 million. At the same time, according to AP, the film's budget was about $250 million.
Despite the weak start, Disney has placed a big bet on the "Moana" franchise. The original 2016 animated film remains the most popular film on Disney+, and "Moana 2", which was released at the end of 2024, grossed over $1 billion at the global box office.
Critics panned the film
The new "Moana", directed by Thomas Kail, was met with a cool reception from critics, who called it an almost shot-for-shot remake of the original. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has only a 34% approval rating.
At the same time, the audience reaction was noticeably better. According to PostTrak, 63% of respondents said they would recommend the film to friends, and among parents, this figure reached 78%. Additionally, the film received an A- rating from CinemaScore.
According to Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian, one of the reasons for the modest start was high competition among family films. This weekend, "Minions & Monsters" and "Toy Story 5" continued their successful runs in theaters simultaneously, forcing family audiences to choose between several major premieres.