Disney’s live-action remake of “Moana” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson pulled in a dismal $43 million across 3,827 North American screens over the weekend — barely making a dent in its massive $250 million production budget.
That’s before counting marketing costs.
The studio had predicted an opening weekend haul of $80 to $105 million as recently as last month. Those numbers collapsed as the July 10 release date approached — thanks to poor pre-sales and scathing reviews.
“Virtually every line, beat, and song in the new movie is identical to the 2016 version… There’s no artistic or aesthetic reason for the live-action Moana to exist.”
The film currently holds a 33% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics are calling it “lazy,” “ugly,” and “AI slop.”
One reviewer described the experience: “It evoked in me a similar reaction to AI slop, where I cringe at the unnerving blend of the familiar and the not-quite-right.”
Another critic didn’t hold back: “The film doesn’t worry about novel turns. It just walks us through the familiar avenues like a dutiful tour guide. A lazy, lazy work that sullies the good name of ‘content.'”
The visual execution drew particular fire. “From start to finish, ‘Moana’ stands out as one of the ugliest films of the year. The cinematography is washed out and dull, even when it is simply attempting to capture the beauty of Motunui, shot on location in Hawaii,” one review noted.
“There are visual gags from the original film that look bizarre in live-action, such as the way Maui repeatedly tosses Moana off her boat. The non-human characters, once full of expression and personality, have lost all their charm.”
The audience split tells a different story. Verified viewers gave the film a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes as of Monday morning.
“Same as the animated film. Nice summer movie, however if you’ve seen the animated film you’ve seen both!” one audience member wrote.
Another defended the remake: “Where’s all the hate coming from? Moana is a really good movie that’s best decision is to stick to the original.”
Disney has ridden both massive wins and spectacular flops with its live-action strategy. “Beauty and the Beast” (2017) and “Lilo & Stitch” (2025) raked in huge box office numbers. But “Snow White” bombed last year — and now “Moana” joins the list of remakes that couldn’t justify their existence.
