“Moana 2,” once planned as a streaming series, has shattered expectations to become a billion-dollar success at the global box office.
The animated sequel has earned $445 million domestically and $567 million internationally, bringing its total to $1.009 billion after eight weekends in theaters. “Moana 2” is the third Disney film released in 2024 to cross the billion-dollar mark, joining “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.” This achievement caps off a remarkable year for Disney, while its competitors, including Universal, which came close with “Despicable Me 4” ($969 million), did not release a billion-dollar film.
Opening on November 28, “Moana 2” set a new Thanksgiving box office record with $225 million over the five-day holiday weekend, surpassing the previous record set by 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million).
Despite mixed critical reviews, the film’s strong word-of-mouth from audiences helped it stay in the top five on domestic charts for seven consecutive weekends. In its eighth week, the film earned $6.1 million over the weekend and $8.4 million during the extended Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The success of “Moana 2” highlights the power of theatrical releases, especially as the film was initially conceived as a Disney+ series before being reworked into a feature film. Following its box office run, the film will continue to generate revenue through home entertainment before eventually streaming on Disney’s platform. The original “Moana” was a moderate hit with $680 million globally in 2016, but it found massive popularity on Disney+, where it has remained one of the top-watched titles. Disney is also preparing a live-action remake of the first film, set for release in 2026. The success of the sequel suggests that a third installment of Moana’s journey may be on the way soon.
Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho returned to voice their iconic characters, Maui and Moana. In the sequel, Moana embarks on a quest to find a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote memorable songs for the first film, did not return for the sequel. Instead, the songwriting duties were taken over by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, known for “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.”
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