Overview
- Moana earned $4.5 million from Thursday preview screenings on July 9, a haul box‑office trackers call lower than needed for a strong wide launch.
- Presales stood at about $4 million and exhibitors have trimmed North American opening projections into the high‑$40 million range.
- Critics have scored the film roughly 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, commonly describing the live‑action as largely reproducing the animated original without fresh creative value.
- With reported production costs near $200–$250 million, analysts say the movie will need several hundred million dollars more globally and strong international or streaming income to approach break‑even.
- The production generated an estimated $39 million in economic activity and hundreds of local hires in Hawai‘i, and industry observers say a continued weak box office could prompt Disney to reassess future high‑budget live‑action remakes.