"Moana 2" Sails to $386 Million, Becomes Second-Biggest Global Debut of 2024

Disney’s long-awaited animated sequel to 2016's “Moana” sailed to $386 million at the global box office, including $165.3 million internationally.

Ticket sales for the family film follow-up stand as the second-biggest worldwide opening of the year after Disney’s billion-dollar Marvel behemoth “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($438 million).

The follow-up film got a jumpstart on the weekend by landing in North American theaters on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. It generated $300.8 million globally over the traditional weekend.

At the domestic box office, “Moana 2” shattered Thanksgiving box office records with $221 million over the five-day holiday frame, overtaking the high-water mark of 2019’s “Frozen II” ($125 million). Overseas, “Moana 2” powered to No. 1 in every market aside from China (where a local title reigned supreme).

Top-earning territories were France with $18.8 million, the United Kingdom with $15.5 million, Mexico with $11.1 million, Germany with $10.5 million, Italy with $9.3 million and Korea with $9.1 million.

“Moana 2” was originally commissioned as a television show for Disney+ before it was retooled into a theatrical feature film.

Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their voice roles as the eponymous heroine (who is not a princess) and the tattooed demigod Maui in the sequel, which picks up as Moana journeys far into the ocean to find a hidden island and break a curse.

The voice cast also includes Temuera Morrison as Tui, Nicole Scherzinger as his Sina, Rose Matafeo as Loto, David Fane as Kele, Hualālai Chung as Moni, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei.

David G. Derrick Jr. scripted and helmed the follow-up, replacing the veteran duo John Musker and Ron Clements who helmed the first installment, with music from the duo of Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, as well as Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, who worked on the first movie.

The company’s CEO Bob Iger announced the sequel on CNBC ahead of Disney’s first quarter of fiscal 2024 earnings report.

“Moana 2” hitting theaters follows Disney’s rough 2023 at the box office. Disney Animation’s “Wish” joined a long line of misfires, including “The Marvels,” “Haunted Mansion” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Pixar’s “Elemental” struggled to start but ultimately rebounded with $496 million globally.

The sequel is separate from the studio’s live-action remake, which is currently in the works with Dwayne Johnson back as the tattooed demigod Maui.