“Moana 2,” initially conceived as a television show for streaming, is formally a billion-dollar field workplace smash.
The animated sequel has generated $445 million domestically and $567 million internationally, bringing its grand complete to $1.009 billion globally after eight weekends of launch. “Moana 2” is Disney‘s third 2024 launch to hitch the billion-dollar membership following “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” capping off a stellar 12 months for the movie studio. None of its rivals fielded a single $1 billion launch in 2024, although Common was closest with “Despicable Me 4” ($969 million).
“Moana 2” opened on Nov. 28 and cemented a Thanksgiving field workplace report with $225 million over the five-day vacation body, obliterating the earlier benchmark set by 2019’s “Frozen II” with $125 million. Regardless of combined vital evaluations, the movie benefitted from constructive word-of-mouth amongst moviegoers and remained within the prime 5 on home charts for seven consecutive weekends. Now it its eighth body, “Moana 2” landed at No. 6 with $6.1 million over the weekend and $8.4 million over the prolonged Martin Luther King Jr. vacation stretch.
The windfall from “Moana 2,” for each Disney and film theaters homeowners, ought to be an encouraging illustration in favor of theatrical as a result of the follow-up was developed as a collection for Disney+ earlier than it was retooled right into a feature-length movie. Now, the movie will proceed to earn riches by means of dwelling leisure home windows earlier than touchdown on Disney’s personal streaming platform. The primary “Moana” was modestly profitable with $680 million globally in 2016, however the oceanic journey exploded in recognition on Disney+, the place it’s remained one of the crucial watched streaming titles. Disney can also be creating a live-action remake of the unique for launch in 2026. Outsized ticket gross sales for the animated sequel doubtless imply a 3rd installment with the plucky wayfinder gained’t be too far on the horizon, both.
Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho reprised their voice roles because the tattooed demigod Maui and the eponymous heroine “Moana 2,” wherein the plucky wayfinder journeys far into the ocean to discover a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote such memorable hits as “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” for the primary movie, didn’t return for the second, as a substitute passing songwriting duties to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the duo behind “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.”
