The live-action remake of Moana secured the top spot at the box office on Friday, but the film fell short of the domestic performance Disney likely anticipated. The movie brought in $18 million from 3,875 North American theaters during its opening day, Variety reported. Current estimates from rivals suggest the film will gross $45 million throughout its opening weekend. This projection sits below the $56 million the original 2016 animated film earned during its own debut.
Financial stakes are high for this project. Disney invested $250 million into the live-action reprise, which is a significant jump from the $175 million spent on the animated version. Because of this high budget, the film needs to maintain a strong presence in theaters for an extended period to justify the production costs. It is an interesting time for the studio, as they have experienced a mix of massive hits and underwhelming returns with their recent live-action strategy.
Disney has seen massive success with titles like The Lion King, which earned $1.6 billion worldwide, and Beauty and the Beast, which reached $1.26 billion. However, recent releases like The Little Mermaid and Snow White did not generate enough business to easily cover their expenses. While the live-action Lilo & Stitch managed to gross $1 billion following its May 2025 release, that result appears to be an outlier. It seems likely that audience fatigue regarding existing intellectual property and remakes is impacting these returns, as the current slate of Disney films often combines both elements.
The story of live-action Moana remains familiar to fans
The new Moana follows a young Polynesian girl who departs her home island to stop the spread of an ancient curse. Dwayne Johnson returns to the role of the demigod Maui, starring alongside Catherine Laga’aia in the titular role. The cast also features John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen and Jemaine Clement, with direction by Thomas Kail.
The box office landscape on Friday included other notable debuts. Evil Dead Burn took second place with $6.7 million from 3,004 domestic screens. It is projected to earn $15 million by Sunday, which is a decrease from the $25 million debut of the 2023 predecessor, Evil Dead Rise. Because the Evil Dead movies are produced with modest budgets, the studio is in a comfortable position to see this film become profitable.
A24 also entered the conversation with The Invite, which took fifth place on Friday with $2.4 million. This is a solid start for the project, especially considering the $12 million budget following its premiere at Sundance. The film is directed by and stars Olivia Wilde, with a supporting cast that includes Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton.
Elsewhere, Minions & Monsters held onto third place with $6.5 million. It is heading toward a $21 million weekend, which marks a 43% decline from its opening. Meanwhile, Toy Story 5 continues its steady run in fourth place. It earned $5.7 million on Friday and is expected to reach a domestic total of $403 million through four weekends. It is likely that this film will eventually cross the $1 billion mark, potentially becoming the highest-grossing entry in the franchise.
Published: Jul 12, 2026 07:00 pm