Low $55 million debut for Moana deepens Disney’s live-action remake woes
Disney's live-action remake of Moana has underperformed at the box office, earning only $43 million in its opening weekend. This continues a trend of declining profitability for Disney's recent live-action adaptations compared to their successful counterparts from the 2010s.
Why it matters
The film's poor performance highlights a potential shift in audience appetite for Disney's live-action remake strategy, which has historically been a major revenue driver.
Australian actress Catherine Laga’aia plays Moana, the intrepid daughter of village chief Tui, in the live-action remake of Moana.
Listen LOS ANGELES – Walt Disney’s Moana debuted to US$43 million (S$55 million) in ticket sales in the United States and Canada over the weekend, a disappointing haul in a franchise that has otherwise delivered strong profits for the company’s film studio and consumer products division.
The opening sales are in keeping with that of a handful of other recent high-budget, live-action remakes of animated films from Disney, such as Snow White (2025), that ultimately became unprofitable laggards at the box office.
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