The Walt Disney Firm’s dwell motion “Moana” often is the No. 1 film on the home field workplace, but it surely didn’t make an enormous splash in its first weekend in theaters.
The film, which value a reported $250 million to provide, earned simply $43 million from ticket gross sales within the U.S. and Canada, in response to studio estimates Sunday.
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Internationally, it earned $52 million from 50 markets, including as much as a $95 million international debut.
The studio wager huge on “Moana,” one in all its hottest franchises. The 2016 animated movie is probably the most watched film on Disney+. Its sequel, which was stitched collectively from a deliberate streaming sequence, remodeled $1 billion and scored a Thanksgiving document when it opened with $225 million in 2024. “Moana 2” was additionally launched simply 19 months in the past.
This newest “Moana,” directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson again because the demigod Maui and introduces Catherine Lagaʻaia because the adventuring Polynesian princess. Regardless of reward for Lagaʻaia, the movie set sail on a wave of dismal critiques from critics for being basically a shot-for-shot remake of the unique.
What audiences say about ‘Moana’
It’s presently sitting at a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, nearly all of whom had been girls (66%), had been much less damaging: Based on PostTrak, 63% mentioned they might “positively” suggest the movie to their associates. Dad or mum reactions had been even stronger, with 78% saying they might suggest it to different mother and father. It additionally bought a promising A- CinemaScore.
Disney’s dwell motion remakes of beloved animated movies, new and previous, have had their share of successes and disappointments. Some have remodeled $1 billion, together with “Lilo & Sew,” “The Lion King” and “Magnificence and the Beast.” Others have floundered, most notably final 12 months’s “Snow White,” which made solely $205 million worldwide. “Moana” opened extra on par with “Snow White” ($42.2 million).
Paul Dergarabedian, the pinnacle of market traits for Rentrak, mentioned “Moana’s” debut may be a product of PG-rated oversaturation within the market: Common’s “Minions & Monsters” was in second place with $20.5 million and “Toy Story 5” was shut behind in third place with $18.5 million.
“Households love going to the flicks, however proper now there are three of them,” Dergarabedian mentioned. “That’s a whole lot of competitors.”
PG-rated movies outgrossed others in 2024 and 2025, so “Moana’s” efficiency might not be a case of “household film fatigue,” he mentioned, however merely exhibits there could be a ceiling. Households have to select, and after 4 weekends, “Toy Story 5” continues to be going sturdy with a operating international complete of $879.1 million.
There are also indicators that these motion pictures may not sink or swim primarily based on the opening weekend alone. Though “Minions & Monsters” opened under expectations over the Fourth of July vacation, it additionally had a modest 45% drop this weekend. Its operating home complete is presently sitting at $108.3 million.
Elsewhere on the field workplace, horror and historical past
The weekend’s different huge new opener was positively not PG: The R-rated horror “Evil Useless Burn,” a Warner Bros. launch, opened in fourth place with $13.7 million. It’s a big dip from the earlier two movies within the sequence, which each opened within the $25 million vary.
Angel Studios’ George Washington film “Younger Washington” rounded out the highest 5 movies in its second weekend in theaters, with $6.4 million. Olivia Wilde’s chamber dramedy “The Invite” landed in sixth place in its first weekend in huge launch, with $5.7 million from 1,610 theaters.
And although it has dropped out of the highest 10 domestically, “Michael” has formally crossed $1 billion on the worldwide field workplace, solely the second movie this 12 months to take action after “The Tremendous Mario Galaxy Film.” It’s additionally now the best grossing musical biopic of all time, a title beforehand held by “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The overall home field workplace for the 12 months is presently sitting just below $5.2 billion, up about 10.7% from this level final 12 months. Whereas each Could and June had been very sturdy — each producing over $1 billion in North America — July, Dergarabedian mentioned, has confronted some headwinds with a string of underperformers, together with “Supergirl.” Issues will doubtless choose up subsequent week with the arrival of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” adopted by “Spider-Man: Model New Day” the weekend after.
“They might energy a stronger August than July on the field workplace, which might be very uncommon,” Dergarabedian mentioned.
High 10 motion pictures by home field workplace
With closing home figures being launched Monday, this record components within the estimated ticket gross sales for Friday by way of Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, in response to Rentrak:
- “Moana,” $43 million.
- “Minions & Monsters,” $20.5 million.
- “Toy Story 5,” $18.5 million.
- “Evil Useless Burn,” $13.7 million.
- “Younger Washington,” $6.4 million.
- “The Invite,” $5.7 million.
- “Obsession,” $3.8 million.
- “Supergirl,” $3.6 million.
- “Disclosure Day,” $3.2 million.
- “Backrooms,” $1.5 million.
