Movies

Disney’s Moana 2 eyes Thanksgiving weekend box office records after massive $57 million opening day

BBG News

As a dedicated Disney enthusiast with a heart full of nostalgia and a lifetime of memories tied to these magical stories, I must say that the success of Moana 2 brings a beaming smile to my face. Despite the mildly lukewarm reviews, it’s clear that the allure of Moana and Maui has not waned, much like how a well-loved toy can still hold our hearts years after we first held them in our hands.

Disney’s eagerly awaited animated sequel, Moana 2, is heading towards breaking box office records following a massive debut day on Wednesday.

Despite mixed reactions from some fans, and a lower Rotten Tomatoes rating of 66% compared to the original’s impressive 95%, the sequel is still anticipating a massive opening.

On Wednesday alone, the movie raked in an impressive $57.5 million, shattering the previous record with a staggering $13.8 million earned from Tuesday’s advance showings. This makes it the largest preview opening ever for a Disney Animated film, as reported by Variety.

Over the extended five-day holiday period, estimates suggest that the opening day’s success will likely result in earnings ranging from $175 million to $200 million.

If it even slightly meets the projected amount, it would undoubtedly surpass the $125 million earnings that Disney’s Frozen II made during the Thanksgiving weekend in 2019.

If it falls on the optimistic side of these predictions, it might set a record as the largest animation premiere ever seen.

2018’s Incredibles 2 has set a new record for the highest opening weekend ever for an animated movie, earning $183 million during its premiere.

On its opening day, the earnings of Moana 2 placed it as the third greatest amount among all animated films – trailing slightly behind Incredibles 2 ($71.2 million) and Inside Out 2 ($63.6 million).

During the usual cutthroat competition among many big-name debuts over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, only Moana 2 is making its premiere in cinemas this time around.

The movie has accumulated an extra $66 million from foreign markets before its domestic premiere during the holiday season.

As a lifestyle expert, I must say, despite some mixed reviews on the sequel, it hasn’t dampened fans’ excitement one bit for catching this movie in theaters.

Initially launched in 2016, this version tells the story of the lead character, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho, who joins forces with the powerful demigod Maui, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, on a quest to locate a magical artifact.

Moana’s earnings totaled approximately $248.7 million in the U.S. alone and an impressive $643.3 million globally, sparking discussions about potential follow-ups almost immediately.

Initially, it was considered that the sequel would be a television production, but eventually, Cravalho and Johnson were re-enlisted to lend their voices to their cherished characters in the movie sequel instead.

Currently, Disney is working on a live-action version of Moana, featuring Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui and Catherine Laga’aia taking on the titular character.

At present, filming is being actively carried out for the live-action adaptation of Moana, with Thomas Kail serving as director and Ron Clements, John Musker, and Chris Williams contributing to the screenplay.

Disney hasn’t shared any details about possible upcoming projects in the Moana animated series, but if it turns out to be as successful as predicted, a sequel could be released relatively quickly.

Currently, you can catch Johnson in the festive movie titled Red One, and soon, he will appear as Mark Kerr in the film known as The Smashing Machine.

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2024-11-29 10:18

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