Disney’s live-action adaptation of Moana is heading into cinemas with a projected global opening of more than US$130 million, as the studio looks to revive one of its most successful animated properties for a new audience.
According to data from Deadline, the film is expected to earn more than US$60 million in North America and between US$70 million and US$75 million internationally during its opening weekend. The release will arrive in around 3,900 domestic theatres, supported by premium formats including IMAX, 3D and 4DX.
Directed by Thomas Kail, the new adaptation brings back Dwayne Johnson as Maui, the demigod he voiced in the 2016 animated film. Catherine Laga’aia takes on the role of Moana, following Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced the original character.
The film arrives with a built-in audience but also faces a key question: whether audiences are ready for another Moana release so soon. The animated sequel, Moana 2, opened in late 2024 with a record-breaking Thanksgiving debut in North America and went on to surpass US$1 billion worldwide.
The original 2016 film also became a major success, establishing Moana as one of Disney’s most recognisable modern animated characters.
Despite the recent release of the animated sequel, Disney is banking on the continued popularity of the franchise. The original Moana remains one of the studio’s most-watched titles on Disney+, consistently ranking among the platform’s top films since its launch.
The live-action version also enters a competitive summer box office period, following several underperforming releases. However, the wider market remains ahead of last year, with the domestic box office approaching the US$5 billion mark and summer earnings tracking above the same period in 2025.
Internationally, the film is expected to open across most major markets, with strong projections in regions including Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, France, Germany and the UK. Japan and Italy will receive the film later in the year.
Beyond its opening numbers, Moana will be closely watched as another test of Disney’s live-action strategy, which has seen the studio revisit popular animated titles for theatrical releases.
