Moana 2 set a new record with $13.8 million in Tuesday previews, the highest ever for a Walt Disney Animation title and the second-largest for any animated film, trailing only Pixar’s Incredibles 2 ($18.5 million). This is especially impressive, given that Incredibles 2 premiered during the summer. On Tuesday, Disney reported that only 48% of schools and 20% of colleges were on break, highlighting the film’s strong performance. Moana 2 also claimed the highest pre-Thanksgiving Tuesday preview gross ever.
The sequel is poised to break records as the biggest Thanksgiving opening ever, with a projected five-day debut of $125 million to $135 million (Wednesday through Sunday). It’s also expected to become the highest five-day earner of all time. The current Thanksgiving opening record is held by Disney Animation’s Frozen ($93.6 million), while Frozen II, which premiered the weekend before Thanksgiving, holds the five-day record with $125 million in ticket sales.
Originally envisioned as a television series, Disney’s animated family film Moana 2 was reimagined as a theatrical sequel. The first Moana had a solid, though not groundbreaking, box office run in 2016 before evolving into a cultural phenomenon, becoming the most streamed film across all platforms in 2023. Featuring new songs by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Moana 2 is produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino.
Critics have been less favorable toward Moana 2 than the original, but that hasn’t dampened audience enthusiasm. Its “popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes stands at an impressive 89%. Meanwhile, the film’s critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes is currently 67%, a drop from the 95% earned by the first Moana.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
