Disney's Moana Officially Starts A New Era Today After $250 Million Flop

Disney's $250 Million Flop Officially Starts A New Era Today For A Shot At Redemption Published Oct 21, 2026, 9:30 AM EDT Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release. He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years. It's the start of a new era for Disney's live-action Moana remake that could redeem the box office disaster. Just 10 years after the original animated movie (and 2 years after its sequel), Disney made the bold move to bring Moana back to theaters as its latest live-action remake. After burning through its classic animated movie library, Disney was forced to turn its focus to more modern projects to avoid halting these types of remakes altogether. Lilo & Stitch proved that there was a tremendous appetite for these reimaginings. 2026's Moana was expected to do the same considering how popular the two animated movies that came before were. Disney brought Dwayne Johnson back as Maui for the live-action retelling, giving the movie some major star power, as Moana's cast was otherwise led by lesser-known actors, including Catherine Laga'aia taking over as the titular character. Bringing the Polynesian musical adventure to life wasn't cheap, with Disney shelling out $250 million to remake an animated film that grossed $687 million a decade earlier. While the movie debuted in theaters over the summer, Moana is now streaming on Disney+, making its official debut on October 21. It's the first chance for Disney+ subscribers, who are known to love the Moana franchise, to watch the movie at home. This new era is the shot at redemption the remake and Disney have been waiting for. Moana's Live-Action Remake Didn't Deliver In Theaters Disney's decision to remake Moana in live-action looked like a no-brainer when it was first announced in 2023. The first movie was a major box office hit, continued to find success on Disney+, and had a soundtrack that people couldn't stop listening to. Moana 2's $1 billion box office haul in 2024 further proved just how much audiences love this world. But the live-action remake failed to capture the public's attention in the same fashion. It was slammed with negative reviews that criticized everything from the visuals to a lifeless feeling. Moana earned a 33% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics. Audiences were kinder, making it Verified Hot at 87% on the Popcornmeter. That heightened appreciation didn't translate to the box office, though. Moana flopped in theaters. It opened significantly under its box office projections, making $43 million versus the projected $60-$65 million domestically. Audiences didn't come to the film's aid in the weeks that followed, leaving Moana with a global box office haul of $323.6 million. With an estimated breakeven point of $625 million, it came over $300 million shy of being the box office performer Disney expected. Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro confirmed on an investor call that Moana did not meet the studio's expectations (via Variety). However, he also said that IP movies like this "fuel other parts of our company," suggesting that Moana's merchandise sales and impact on theme parks were strong. D'Amaro affirmed that Disney still believed the remake would do very well on streaming, where it now belongs. Disney+ Gives Moana's Remake Another Chance To Succeed Moana's Disney+ release is a pivotal moment for the movie, as a result. Disney clearly is not anticipating subscribers will turn a blind eye to the remake. There is an expectation for Moana to not only top Disney+'s daily charts right away or for the first few days, but remain a title that subscribers watch on repeat for weeks and months to come. Driving new subscribers would also be a huge plus. Disney's faith in Moana's remake performing well on Disney+ is built on the popularity that animated movies have had on the platform. The 2016 original animated film is Disney+'s most-streamed movie of all time. It was the most-watched streamed movie on any platform in 2023, according to Disney. As of March 2025, Disney confirmed the animated Moana had 1.4 billion hours streamed, with Moana 2 having a record launch, too. Considering the resurgence in popularity both animated Moana movies had on Disney+ in anticipation of the live-action remake's debut, there is a good opportunity for the 2026 feature to finally find the global audience it hoped to secure in theaters. Depending on the specific streaming viewership it accumulates, Moana's remake could go down as a major success for Disney even after a disastrous box office performance. Release Date July 10, 2026 Runtime 120 Minutes Director Thomas Kail