Why Disney's Live-Action Moana Is Sinking at the Box Office
Live-action Moana's box office bomb has a twist: a stronger 2nd-weekend hold, record audience scores, and a Moana 3 already confirmed.
Why Disney's Live-Action Moana Is Sinking at the Box Office Update (July 19, 2026): This story has been updated with second-weekend box office results, revised Rotten Tomatoes scores, and news that a third "Moana" film is already in development.
Disney bet big on returning to Motunui less than two years after "Moana 2" became a billion-dollar hit — and the wager still hasn't paid off, even though the film is showing more staying power than its rocky debut suggested. The live-action "Moana," starring Dwayne Johnson and newcomer Catherine Laga'aia, opened to just $43 million domestically and $95 million worldwide, numbers that put the film's massive $250 million budget in a precarious position. Trade estimates suggest Disney could lose between $100 million and $125 million once marketing costs are factored in. Box Office Tracker Metric Figure Opening weekend (domestic) $43 million Opening weekend (international) $52 million Opening weekend (worldwide) $95 million Second weekend (domestic, est.) ~$19 million (down ~…
