While the press has been less enthusiastic about Vaiana 2’s proposal, this is not the case with the general public. The film has earned $386.3 million at the global box office over a short weekend, marking the best-ever opening for an animated film. It is a colossal success that even Disney did not anticipate. “The sequel has far exceeded all our expectations,” claims one of the firm’s executives from Mickey Mouse, who must thank Bob Iger for changing plans regarding the film, which was originally intended to be a series tailored for Disney+ just four years ago, in order to boost the platform’s popularity and, most importantly, its subscriber base.
In detail, Moana 2 generated $221 million domestically over just three days, exclusively in the United States. The film’s release during the Thanksgiving period enabled families to visit cinemas and experience this highly anticipated sequel alongside their children. Previously, the record was held by Frozen II with $125 million in 2019, and Moana 2 even surpasses Super Mario Bros., which generated $205.6 million in 2023. Given that cinema complexes will schedule the film throughout December and potentially into January to capitalize on Christmas, there is a strong possibility that Moana 2 will pursue Vice-Versa 2’s record of nearly $1.7 billion at the global box office. At PlayersForLife’s editorial team, we are almost convinced that Moana 2 will exceed $2 billion in its lifetime.
Moana 2 is not only breaking records in the United States but also witnessing a significant surge in France, where it became the second country to accumulate over 2 million entries within just five days. “Moana 2 has far exceeded our high expectations and underscores the phenomenon that Moana has become,” stated the co-president of Disney Entertainment in a press release issued this morning. This success addresses criticisms from some middle-of-the-road press and influencers who were less enthusiastic about the sequel. Given the post-credits scene, it is evident that Moana is now a franchise on which Disney can rely, akin to Frozen.
