Moana Live-Action Remake Sets Disney+ Release Date After Disastrous Box Office Run
Disney has officially set a streaming release date for the live-action Moana movie.
The latest remake hits Disney+ on October 21. The move to streaming comes a relatively standard three months after the movie’s initial release in theaters, though struggles at the box office have prompted reactions from Disney as well as questions about the future of the studio's remake strategy.
Moana’s box office hardships go back to the movie’s opening weekend, when it barely managed to beat out the numbers of a previous Disney disappointment, Snow White.
Moana went on to gross just over $162 million domestically, contributing to a total global haul of $323.6 million. It’s currently the 16th highest-grossing movie of 2026, with a box office total below previous live-action remakes like Lilo & Stitch, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid.
The numbers (and memes) were enough to spur reactions from a number of the film’s stakeholders. Maui actor Dwayne Johnson, who reprised his role from the animated film, has been open about his disappointment while admitting, “That’s just the way it goes.”
Disney has also openly acknowledged that Moana “underperformed." Disney president Dana Walden attributed some of that underperformance to the decision to release the live-action remake so soon after Moana 2. The animated sequel did fare much better, nearly tripling the box office total of its live-action cousin.
Unfortunately, the Moana remake also struggled to win over critics. IGN’s own 6/10 Moana review derided the film as a “frame-by-frame retelling of the Disney animated musical that doesn't do enough to justify being made.”
Still, the studio remains confident in the franchise as a whole: “Looking ahead, we expect the live-action Moana to be a strong title on Disney+, building on the success of the original film, which is one of the most streamed movies of all time, and extending the reach of the franchise, which now includes three films, a themed area at EPCOT, and a robust global merchandise business."
As it stands, the Rock himself has mentioned development on Moana 3, but there’s no word on whether Moana will continue getting the live-action treatment. Disney doesn’t seem to be doubting their strategy too much, however, with all eyes now on the studio’s next live-action remake: Tangled.