Disney’s live-action Moana opened to $43 million in the U.S. and $95 million worldwide, a debut that landed far below what had been expected for one of the studio’s biggest live-action remakes. For Dwayne Johnson, whose latest movie was meant to carry a major franchise launch, the weekend arrived with more questions than celebration.
The U.S. total was not just light against the $70 million to $80 million range that tracking had pointed to earlier in the week. It was also weak by Disney remake standards, sitting near the bottom of the studio’s live-action take on animated classics. The opening was mentioned alongside Snow White at $42.2 million and Dumbo at $45.99 million, which is not the company Disney wanted at the start of a holiday run.
That makes the gap harder to ignore. Presales of $4 million had suggested a domestic start above $60 million, and the worldwide result missed the $130 million total that had been hoped for. In pure math, the movie arrived roughly $27 million below the low end of tracking and $35 million under the high end, a miss large enough to change the conversation around the release before its first full week is even over.
The backdrop helps explain why the number drew so much attention. Moana 2 was in theaters less than two years ago and went on to gross more than $1 billion worldwide, so the new live-action version was not trying to reintroduce an unknown title. Disney has also spent years building the brand across Disney+, toys and music, which is why the studio expected a sturdier launch than this one delivered.
There is still a split in the audience response that could matter next. The film received an A- CinemaScore, while women gave it an A and viewers under 18 gave it an A+. Screen Engine/Rentrak’s PostTrak showed a 63% definite recommend overall, with women at 70% and women over 25 at 78%, numbers that suggest the film was liked more than the opening-day turnout indicates.
That is where the friction sits: a movie that tested well enough with the people who saw it did not pull enough people into theaters to match the pre-release hype. Earlier in the week, tracking had been bullish, and the story looked built for a much bigger launch. Instead, the result leaves Disney with a live-action Moana opening that is being judged less as a franchise victory and more as a reminder that a familiar title can still underperform when the timing is off.
The coming days will show whether the audience praise turns into steadier weekday business or whether the soft debut is the real verdict. For now, the headline is simple: the latest Dwayne Johnson movie opened well below expectations, and the box office math did not support the optimism that surrounded it before release.
