Dwayne Johnson returns as the demigod Maui in Disney's live-action adaptation of "Moana." The film, directed by Thomas Kail is targeting a domestic weekend debut ranging from $60 million to $65 million from approximately 3,900 theaters in North America. This projection is a decrease from earlier tracking that suggested a potential opening of $75 million or more.

The live-action "Moana" aims to be a significant family-friendly option for the summer, especially given its reported production budget of $250 million. The movie reimagines the 2016 animated original, which featured Johnson as Maui and Auli'i Cravalho as Moana, a young girl who teams up with the demigod to prevent a curse from devastating her island and family.

Despite its ambition, the new "Moana" has received mixed reviews from critics, holding a 37 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Chief film critic David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter noted, "this charming new iteration stands confidently on its own," though the overall critical reception has been lukewarm.

Disney is likely hoping to avoid audience fatigue, as the animated sequel "Moana 2" was a considerable success just last November. Initially conceived as a Disney+ series, "Moana 2" ultimately grossed $225 million domestically during its five-day Thanksgiving frame and surpassed $1 billion globally. The original "Moana," released in 2016, opened to $82 million domestically over five days and earned $643 million worldwide.

To be honest with you, I never bought into this idea [of], ‘You have to wait 20 years. You have you wait 30 years. It’s too soon.’ I honestly never did, and not because I’m biased and I made the film, but because there’s themes and values in this, in animated Moana, that could translate really well if you saw a real young girl going through it.

Johnson made these remarks regarding the timing of the live-action remake at the "Moana" premiere in Los Angeles this week.

Disney's Live-Action Reimagining Strategy

The live-action "Moana" is the latest in a series of reimagined animated classics from Disney. The studio found significant success with the 2019 live-action "The Lion King," which debuted with $191 million domestically. The recent live-action "Lilo & Stitch," released in May 2025, opened to $146 million in North America and went on to earn $1 billion globally. Chris Sanders, who directed the 2002 animated "Lilo & Stitch" and voiced the character Stitch is returning to direct a forthcoming live-action sequel. Additionally, a live-action "Tangled" is currently in production in Spain, starring Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim.

However, not all live-action adaptations have performed as expected. "Snow White," featuring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, opened to $42 million domestically in March of last year, marking a less successful entry in the studio's recent slate of remakes.

"Moana" Brand Strength and Franchise Competition

The "Moana" property has proven to be a commercial success for Disney, accumulating over 1.5 billion hours streamed on Disney+, selling more than 22 million toys, and generating over 26 billion music streams. This strong brand recognition will be crucial as the film navigates a crowded summer box office.

Current competition includes Disney's "Toy Story 5," which has already surpassed $800 million globally, and Universal's "Minions & Monsters." The latter film opened with the lowest domestic sum for a title in the "Despicable Me" franchise, suggesting a potential shift in audience preference or franchise saturation.

The current summer box office trends indicate a possible audience preference for properties that have had a longer theatrical absence. This is exemplified by the performance of DC Studios' "Supergirl," which was considered a major misfire released in June, a year after "Superman." The "Minions & Monsters" release followed "Despicable Me 4" from 2024 and "Minions: The Rise of Gru" from 2022, highlighting a more condensed release schedule for that franchise.

Other notable releases this summer include Warner Bros.' horror film "Evil Dead Burn," the latest installment in the "Evil Dead" franchise. The film has been described as featuring "orgiastic slaughter" in reviews. Looking ahead, Universal's "The Odyssey," directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, and Lupita Nyong’o is set for a July 17 release. Sony's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," also starring Tom Holland is slated for July 31. The weekend between these two major releases is currently free of wide releases, potentially offering "Moana" an opportunity to capture audience attention.

Related Projects

Beyond the "Moana" remake, other film projects are in development. An animated horror-comedy titled "Freddy the 13th" from Dan Trachtenberg is scheduled for a 2028 release. Disney has also greenlit "The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen," with Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon returning alongside a new cast.

Additionally, a "Free Willy" reimagining is set for release from Warner Bros. and AGBO, the production company founded by the Russo brothers. Paul Feig is set to direct a horror film called "Detention" for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. A queer director has publicly criticized "hateful political rhetoric" surrounding the filming of the trans drama "Rocket Fuel" in Canada. Scissor Sisters singer Jake Shears will produce "Tinderbox," a film about a deadly 1973 LGBTQ attack. At the Karlovy Vary festival, Juliette Binoche discussed her Oscar upset and teased future projects. "Summer House" is reportedly heading to Canada, and the Netflix reboot "Little House on the Prairie" has been met with praise for its wholesomeness. "The Pitt" leads this year's Emmy nominations with 25 nods, while "MobLand" is set for a Season 2 return with Tom Hardy. Justin Baldoni has addressed legal battles surrounding "It Ends With Us" and Blake Lively. Liam Neeson and Zachary Levi's Iran-set action film has been retitled "The Fix" and given a release date. Details regarding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding are emerging. Behind the scenes of "Supergirl," competing cuts and creative differences have been cited as reasons for its performance. Anya Taylor-Joy has spoken about the challenges of "Furiosa" and her upcoming role in Middle-Earth.

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