Disney is continuously remaking its animated masterpieces into live-action films, while the new live-action Moana has received a poor response from critics following its world premiere. The film is releasing tomorrow, and fans have had to go through reviews calling it a complete “shot-for-shot, line-by-line remake without a single original idea,” as described by one reviewer.
There is a possibility that Moana may struggle at the box office. As of now, the film has sold only $4 million in pre-sales after nearly a month. There is a chance it might not even reach $50 million in its domestic opening weekend. The $130 million global opening projected by trade outlets yesterday now seems unlikely, and it may not even reach $100 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
Moana has debuted with a 36% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lowest-rated Disney live-action remakes. The film reportedly had a $250 million production budget, with the studio also spending heavily on its marketing campaign. Based on these reviews, reaching the break-even point could be difficult for the studio.
According to X user @almanaquedisney, “The live-action Moana is, at best, okay. It’s not a disaster like other Disney live-action remakes, but it’s not a great adaptation either. It’s Disney’s most copy-and-paste remake, repeating exactly the lines and shots from the original, but never managing to reach the brilliance and excellence of the animated film.”
According to X user @nacaomarvell, “The movie is a copy-and-paste of the animated film, but it’s actually fun and far from being a disaster. For a live-action adaptation of such a recent animated movie—which we weren’t expecting much from anyway—it turns out to be a decent way to pass the time.
One of the film’s strongest points is its stunning cinematography, which is a treat to watch on the big screen. The opening scene is one of the best.
The Rock as Maui feels a bit odd at first, but he eventually captures the character’s charisma. Catherine Laga’aia as Moana was a solid choice—the actress nailed her role, and if there’s a sequel, she’ll definitely improve even more.”
The studio’s live-action remake strategy has produced varying results. Recent success came with Lilo & Stitch, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide despite a modest $100 million budget. Other billion-dollar remakes include Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, while The Jungle Book came close with $967 million. Disney has found greater success revisiting films from the 1990s and 2000s than remaking older classics like Dumbo and Snow White. A live-action Tangled is currently in development.
The film is directed by Emmy and Tony Award winner Thomas Kail (Hamilton), 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, who voiced Moana in the animated films Moana and Moana 2. The film features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi, and Mark Mancina, with an original score composed by Mancina.
The live-action adaptation features songs by Mark Mancina, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Opetaia Foaʻi, with Mancina also returning to compose the film’s score.
The 2016 animated film was both a critical and commercial hit, earning $643 million worldwide (unadjusted for inflation). It received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, while Lin-Manuel Miranda was nominated for the original song “How Far I’ll Go.”
Moana will be released in the United States on July 10, 2026, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
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