Disney was hoping audiences would once again answer the ocean's call, but the studio's live-action Moana has stumbled out of the gate with a surprisingly soft worldwide debut.
The highly anticipated remake opened to just $95 million globally, including $43 million in North America and $52 million overseas, making it one of the weakest launches among Disney's recent live-action remakes. The film reportedly carries a production budget of around $250 million, meaning it faces an uphill battle to become profitable.
Internationally, Australia led the way with $5.3 million, followed closely by France with $5.2 million and South Korea with $3.8 million. China proved particularly challenging, where the film managed only $1.2 million during its opening weekend.
Industry observers point to several factors behind the underwhelming debut. Unlike Disney's biggest live-action successes-including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and last year's Lilo & Stitch-the original animated Moana is still relatively recent, having premiered in 2016. Its blockbuster animated sequel also arrived less than two years ago, potentially limiting the nostalgia factor that has fueled many of Disney's remake successes.
Directed by Thomas Kail, the film stars newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as Moana, while Dwayne Johnson reprises his beloved role as the demigod Maui. Although critics were divided on the remake, audience reactions have been considerably warmer, giving Disney hope that positive word of mouth could help the film find stronger footing in the weeks ahead.
The disappointing debut also came during a crowded family movie season. Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5 continued its remarkable theatrical run, earning another $45 million internationally in its fourth weekend. The animated sequel has now amassed an impressive $879.1 million worldwide, including $475.3 million overseas and $403.8 million domestically, putting it firmly on course to become one of the franchise's biggest box-office successes.
Universal's Minions & Monsters also remained a formidable competitor, adding $39 million internationally for a worldwide total of $280 million. While the latest installment may finish below previous entries in the franchise, its relatively modest $85 million production budget positions it to deliver a healthy profit.
Elsewhere at the global box office, Sony's Evil Dead Burn debuted with $27 million worldwide, including $13.3 million from international markets. Although its opening fell short of 2023's Evil Dead Rise, the horror sequel's $20 million production budget should help limit financial risk.
Meanwhile, one film reached a historic milestone. Michael, the blockbuster biopic chronicling the life of Michael Jackson, officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, becoming not only the first biographical film ever to reach that milestone but also just the second billion-dollar release of 2026.
For Disney, however, all eyes will now be on whether Moana can generate stronger legs through family audiences and positive word of mouth. With intense competition from multiple blockbuster releases and a costly production budget to overcome, the coming weeks will determine whether the beloved Polynesian heroine can reverse course-or whether this remake will join the growing list of Disney's biggest box-office disappointments.
