Disney president Dana Walden says release timing hurt the live-action Moana box office, with the remake opening about 18 months after Moana 2. IGN’s report covers her comments at Bloomberg Screentime. Walden called the film “excellent” but said audiences may not have had enough time to build demand for another instalment, according to Variety’s account.
Live-action Moana box office trails Moana 2
The live-action film has grossed about $323 million worldwide against a reported $250 million production budget, while Moana 2 finished at roughly $1.06 billion, according to The Numbers’ franchise figures. Those are box-office totals, not studio profit figures.
The latest total is also higher than the $263 million figure in tbreak’s earlier coverage of Disney’s comments, which was a snapshot while the film was still in cinemas. Disney had said the film underperformed theatrically but argued the Moana franchise could bring value through merchandise, streaming and other businesses.
Live-action Moana followed a late change to Moana 2
Walden said Moana 2 came together under “unusual circumstances”. The sequel had originally been developed as a Disney+ series before Disney shifted it to cinemas, a change that helped place its theatrical release much closer to the live-action film, IGN reported. The 2024 animated sequel reached cinemas in November; the remake followed in July 2026.
Walden made the remarks during a 1 October interview with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw at Screentime, whose event video page describes the discussion. Her explanation is Disney’s view of the result, not a demonstrated measure of how much the release gap affected ticket sales.
The conversation follows earlier scrutiny of the remake’s reception. Dwayne Johnson responded to the film’s harsh reviews in August, but Walden’s comments focus on timing and audience demand rather than critics.
Does the $323 million box office total mean live-action Moana was profitable?
No. The worldwide box-office gross is not the studio’s revenue, and the reported $250 million production budget does not include every cost or account for cinema shares. The Numbers lists the gross and production budget.
Has Disney confirmed a live-action Moana sequel?
No. IGN’s report says there is no word on a live-action follow-up; the reported Moana 3 is an animated film.
