- Primary Subject: The severe box office underperformance of Disney's live-action Moana remake
- Key Update: Disney's live-action Moana remake bombed during its opening weekend.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 13, 2026
- Quick Answer: The live-action Moana movie bombed at the box office because of intense competition from other family films, heavy CGI, and audiences questioning the remake's necessity.
The live-action remake of Moana bombed at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, making it a disappointing release for Disney.
Ten years after the original animated film was released, the studio already produced a live-action remake with some of the creative team returning for the new version, including Dwayne Johnson, who is reprising the role of Maui.
However, despite the global push for the live-action remake to be seen on the big screen, it underperformed massively at the box office.
Why the Moana Live-Action Movie Failed at the Box Office
According to Deadline, the live-action remake of Moana ended up having a disappointing box office in its opening weekend as it only grossed $95 million worldwide in its debut. In North America, it only opened to $43 million.
The film is now considered to be a box office bomb. It has a reported production budget of $250 million, plus a global marketing cost of $145 million.
As a result of its disappointing box office performance in its first weekend, the film is now expected to lose around $100-125 million by the end of its theatrical run.
The question now is why the live-action remake of Moana bombed at the box office. There are several factors to consider, including heavy competition among the family audience.
With the recent releases of Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters, there might be no room for the family audience to check out the film, especially since it's just a live-action remake of an animated film that they can watch anytime on Disney+.
RelishMix stated that before the film's release, "There’s mixed-negative leaning chatter for Moana. The dominant conversation revolves around the perceived lack of necessity, heavy CGI, muted color grading, questionable wig design for Maui, and a feeling that the film sits awkwardly between animation and live-action."
There are a lot of questions regarding the necessity of the movie, given that the original was only released ten years ago and the animated sequel was released less than two years ago. With that, there might have been a lack of interest in seeing the live-action remake on the big screen and paying for the ticket.
It remains to be seen whether the film will have legs in the coming weeks, but it might face a tough time with the upcoming releases of highly anticipated films such as The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
What Is the Moana Live-Action Remake About?
In Moana, Disney’s live-action reimagining of the beloved animated adventure, Moana answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.
The main cast includes Catherine Lagaʻaia, Dwayne Johnson, John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen, and Jemaine Clement.
The film is directed by Thomas Kail; produced by Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda; and executive produced by Kail, Scott Sheldon, Charles Newirth, and Auliʻi Cravalho.
It is arriving in theaters worldwide this week. It is also available in IMAX and other premium large formats.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to site for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!