Disney President Reveals Reasons for Live-Action ‘Moana’ Box Office Challenges

Disney’s live-action adaptations have faced significant challenges at the box office in recent years. The 2025 release of ‘Snow White’ struggled, earning only $205.7 million against a hefty budget exceeding $270 million, while ‘Lilo & Stitch’ that same year soared to $1 billion. This stark contrast between flops and successes has made each new remake feel like a gamble.

‘Moana’ seemed like a safe bet. The original animated film from 2016 was a massive success, and its sequel became a billion-dollar hit. Expectations were high for the live-action version featuring Dwayne Johnson as Maui, especially since Deadline reported that the franchise has amassed 1.5 billion hours streamed on Disney+ and sold over 22 million toys.

Now, a top Disney executive has shed light on the film’s disappointing box office results. In an interview with Variety, Disney president and chief creative officer Dana Walden discussed the underwhelming performance of the live-action ‘Moana’, which debuted in July. She attributed the film’s struggles to its timing, being too close to the animated ‘Moana 2’ release.

Walden praised the live-action film but noted that its release was negatively impacted by the sequel’s launch just 18 months prior. She emphasized that there wasn’t enough time to generate significant demand for another film. Furthermore, she pointed out the highly competitive market, where a film must resonate with audiences at the right moment.

The influence of ‘Moana 2’ is indeed significant. That sequel, which was developed from a canceled ‘Moana’ TV series, exceeded expectations by opening to $225 million over the Thanksgiving weekend and ultimately grossing over $1 billion. In contrast, the original 2016 ‘Moana’ earned $643 million globally.

The live-action adaptation, directed by Thomas Kail and featuring Catherine Laga’aia as Moana, opened to $43 million from 3,827 theaters in North America, alongside $52 million internationally for a total of $95 million. Disney had anticipated a domestic debut of $60 million to $65 million and a global total of $140 million, with initial tracking suggesting even higher numbers.

This opening was nearly on par with the $42 million debut of ‘Snow White’, placing ‘Moana’ among the weakest openings for Disney’s live-action remakes. With a production budget of $250 million before marketing, the stakes were high. At the time, Variety projected that the film could incur losses of around $100 million during its theatrical run.

According to Box Office Mojo, the film has since grossed $323.4 million worldwide, comprising $126.2 million domestically and $197.2 million internationally. This total falls short of the sequel’s earnings and does not meet the typical requirement of 2.5 times the budget for a film to break even in theaters.

The ocean chose her for a reason 🌊

Experience @Disney’s MOANA only in theaters JULY 10.

~ 🪝 pic.twitter.com/Syz4bgkOBR

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 23, 2026

Walden’s insights highlight a broader issue. The remake was released a decade after the original and less than two years following the sequel, illustrating the challenges of timing for Disney’s live-action projects. Nevertheless, the film received an A- CinemaScore, with 56 percent of its audience being parents with children, which is higher than most Disney live-action adaptations.

Disney has additional avenues to monetize a franchise of this magnitude. A property like ‘Moana’ generates value through theme park attractions, merchandise, and streaming, not solely from box office sales. While this may not alleviate concerns for a film with a $250 million budget, it indicates that the company is unlikely to retire the franchise anytime soon.

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