Disney's live-action 'Moana' stumbles as michael tops $1 billion worldwide
Moana failed to match the franchise's previous box office heights, while Jaafar Jackson's Michael continued its impressive run
Disney's live-action Moana opened well below expectations, earning $43 million domestically and $95 million worldwide during its debut weekend, marking one of the studio's weakest launches this year.
Produced on a reported $250 million budget, the remake now faces a difficult road to profitability. Its opening fell far short of both the original 2016 animated film, which earned $82 million over five days, and Moana 2, which debuted with $225.4 million in 2024. The film stars Dwayne Johnson and newcomer Catherine Laga'aia.
The disappointing performance contrasts sharply with Disney's recent box office success, including Toy Story 5, which has climbed to $879 million worldwide after another strong weekend.
Meanwhile, Michael, the biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop, achieved a major milestone by surpassing $1 billion globally after adding $5.5 million over the weekend.
Elsewhere, Minions & Monsters remained steady in second place domestically, while horror sequel Evil Dead Burn underperformed with a $13.7 million North American debut, falling well below industry expectations.