‘Moana 2,’ Once Destined for Streaming, Crosses $1 Billion at Global Box Office

“Moana 2,” originally conceived as a television show for streaming, is officially a billion-dollar box office smash.

The animated sequel has generated $445 million domestically and $567 million internationally, bringing its grand total to $1.009 billion globally after eight weekends of release. “Moana 2” is Disney‘s third 2024 release to join the billion-dollar club following “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” capping off a stellar 12 months for the film studio. None of its rivals fielded a single $1 billion release in 2024, though Universal was closest with “Despicable Me 4” ($969 million).

“Moana 2” opened on Nov. 28 and cemented a Thanksgiving box office record with $225 million over the five-day holiday frame, obliterating the previous benchmark set by 2019’s “Frozen II” with $125 million. Despite mixed critical reviews, the film benefitted from positive word-of-mouth among moviegoers and remained in the top five on domestic charts for seven consecutive weekends. Now it its eighth frame, “Moana 2” landed at No. 6 with $6.1 million over the weekend and $8.4 million over the extended Martin Luther King Jr. holiday stretch.

The windfall from “Moana 2,” for both Disney and movie theaters owners, should be an encouraging illustration in favor of theatrical because the follow-up was developed as a series for Disney+ before it was retooled into a feature-length film. Now, the film will continue to earn riches through home entertainment windows before landing on Disney’s own streaming platform. The first “Moana” was modestly successful with $680 million globally in 2016, but the oceanic adventure exploded in popularity on Disney+, where it’s remained one of the most watched streaming titles. Disney is also developing a live-action remake of the original for release in 2026. Outsized ticket sales for the animated sequel likely mean a third installment with the plucky wayfinder won’t be too far on the horizon, either.

Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho reprised their voice roles as the tattooed demigod Maui and the eponymous heroine “Moana 2,” in which the plucky wayfinder journeys far into the ocean to find a hidden island and break a curse. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote such memorable hits as “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” for the first film, didn’t return for the second, instead passing songwriting duties to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the duo behind “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.”