Despite the arrival of Mufasa: The Lion King this week, Disney’s holdover blockbuster Moana 2 is in no way playing like a film that has already completed nearly a month in release. The animated sequel passed a significant milestone at the international box office this weekend, as it approached a massive new milestone globally. Moana 2 broke records over the Thanksgiving period, and has braved all kinds of competition during its theatrical run. Not just Mufasa, the film’s audience share was also impacted this week by Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
And yet, the movie managed to hold its ground. It has now grossed around $360 million domestically and over $430 million in overseas markets, for a cumulative global haul of $790 million. Moana 2 will pass the $800 million milestone by Tuesday, and the $900 million mark next weekend. After that, it will set its sights on overtaking Despicable Me 4’s $970 million lifetime haul to become the second-biggest animated film of the year. The highest-grossing animated movie of 2024 remains Inside Out 2, which generated nearly $1.7 billion globally. In fact, it’s the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Moana 2 has overtaken a host of well-regarded hits, including the original Moana, which concluded its global run with just under $700 million in 2016. That movie earned an Oscar nomination in the Best Animated Feature category, and holds a 96% rating on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Moana 2, by comparison, has received mixed reviews. It holds a barely “fresh” 61% RT rating. That being said, audiences appear to be enjoying it; they’ve given it an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Collider’s Ross Bonaime described it as “the best animated Disney film since Encanto.”
Can 'Moana 2' Hit the Coveted $1 Billion Mark Worldwide?
Produced on a reported budget of $150 million, Moana 2 features the voices of Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger and others, and is directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller. A live-action remake of the first film, set to star Johnson, is currently in production. Moana 2 was originally conceived as a streaming series, but Disney rejigged its plans some time during the production. You can watch the film in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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Moana sets out on another daring voyage, venturing into uncharted territories to save her island from a looming ancient danger. Joined by the demigod Maui and her steadfast friends, she braves perilous seas and encounters new allies along the way. Her quest leads to revelations about her ancestors and deeper insights into her bond with the ocean.
Director David G. Derrick Jr. , Jason Hand , Dana Ledoux Miller
English (US) ·