Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 8
Disney's Live-Action Moana Draws Criticism as Opening Weekend Forecasts Range From $50 Million to $85 Million
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 8

Disney's Live-Action Moana Draws Criticism as Opening Weekend Forecasts Range From $50 Million to $85 Million

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 8

Summary

  • $50 million to $85 million is the latest projected U.S. opening for Disney's live-action "Moana," a soft start for a remake arriving in theaters on July 10.
  • Criticism built before release around the trailers, with viewers mocking Dwayne Johnson's wig and faulting the film's heavy CGI and near shot-for-shot similarity to the 2016 animated original.
  • Timing has also hurt momentum: the remake follows the $1 billion-grossing "Moana 2" by less than two years, making the new film feel redundant rather than nostalgic.
  • The forecast would leave "Moana" well below Disney remake highs such as "Lilo & Stitch," underscoring how quickly familiar IP can lose appeal when audiences see it as a cash-in.

Insights

Why remake 'Moana' when the animated sequel was a recent billion-dollar hit?
With a $250M budget on the line, is Disney's live-action remake formula finally broken?
Can Dwayne Johnson's star power save 'Moana' from becoming a massive box office flop?