The Walt Disney Company's live action Moana may be the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office, but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters. The movie, which cost a reported $250 million to produce, earned just $43 million from ticket sales in the US and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday. Internationally, it earned $52 million from 50 markets, the AP reports, adding up to a $95 million global debut. The studio bet big on Moana, one of its most popular franchises; the 2016 animated film is the most watched movie on Disney+. Its sequel, stitched together from a planned streaming series, made over $1 billion and scored a Thanksgiving record when it opened with $225 million in 2024.
Moana 2 was released just 19 months ago. The latest installment, directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson back as the demigod Maui and introduces Catherine Laga'aia as the adventuring Polynesian princess. Despite praise for Laga'aia, the film set sail on a wave of dismal reviews from critics for being essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original. It's currently sitting at a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were less negative: According to PostTrak, 63% said they would "definitely" recommend the film to their friends. Parent reactions were even stronger, with 78% saying they would recommend it to other parents. It also got a promising A- CinemaScore. The weekend's other big opener, the R-rated horror Evil Dead Burn, debuted in fourth place with $13.7 million. It's a significant dip from the previous two films in the series, which both opened in the $25 million range.
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
- Moana, $43 million.
- Minions & Monsters, $20.5 million.
- Toy Story 5, $18.5 million.
- Evil Dead Burn, $13.7 million.
- Young Washington, $6.4 million.
- The Invite, $5.7 million.
- Obsession $3.8 million.
- Supergirl, $3.6 million.
- Disclosure Day, $3.2 million.
- Backrooms, $1.5 million.
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