Moana 2 has broken a Thanksgiving record, and the Disney movie is set to break more in the coming days. After the massive success of the first film in 2016, the title character ¨C voiced by Auli'i Cravalho ¨C is back for another adventure alongside Dwayne Johnson's Maui, this time exploring long-lost waters in Oceania following a call from her ancestors. Though Moana 2 reviews haven't been glowing, the film is set to be a major release for Disney at the box office.

The Hollywood Reporter now reveals that Moana 2 pulled in a staggering $57.5 million on Wednesday and $28 million on Thursday. This makes it the biggest Thanksgiving Day release of all time, and it's the biggest opening day for any Walt Disney Animation title. It has also had the third-biggest opening day for an animated movie behind Incredibles 2 and Inside Out 2, and the Thursday numbers are also the fourth-biggest for a non-opening. The film's global total now stands at $109.6 million, including $85.5 million domestic, a remarkable feat considering it hasn't even had its opening weekend yet.

Moana 2 is projected to open to more than $225 million across the five-day weekend. The sequel is expected to become the biggest Thanksgiving opening ever when looking at five-day totals, putting it ahead of Frozen's $94 million and Frozen II's $125 million. It could also become the biggest five-day opening ever when looking at any time of year. For 2024, Moana 2's opening is third-biggest behind Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2.

What Moana 2's Record-Breaking Opening Means For The Franchise

The Original Film's Streaming Success Explained

Moana was originally slated to return in a TV show, but this TV show, following the first film's major streaming success, was then transformed into a full-length feature film. Moana 2's Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at only 65% (compared to the first movie's 95%), with criticism aimed at the fact that the film's story still feels like the cobbled-together remnants of a TV show. Reviews, however, especially for family-friendly animated movies, often have little impact on audience turnout, and this is exactly what's slated to happen with Moana 2.

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Moana grossed $643 million at the box office in 2016, far from a disappointing result given its $150 million budget. It was on Disney+ that the film absolutely took off, however, and it still stands as Disney's biggest movie on streaming of all time. The younger audiences who discovered the film on streaming years after its release are going to turn out at theaters in a big way. With Moana 2 essentially guaranteed to blow the first film out of the water at the box office, it's entirely possible a third film could get the green light.

Moana 2 's success also bodes well for the upcoming live-action Moana remake, which is set to bow in 2026.

Our Take On Moana 2's Box Office Numbers

Will The Franchise Follow Inside Out's Lead?

Moana climbing a cliff in Moana 2

2024 has been a great year for Disney's animation arm after an underwhelming 2023. Moana 2's box office performance will surely serve as a strong signal that audiences want more Moana, and the franchise has the potential to further expand. Inside Out, after all, is now poised to expand with the upcoming release of Dream Productions, a Disney+ spinoff. It remains to be seen what kind of legs Moana 2 will have in the coming weeks, but it's certainly looking like the sequel will dominate.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter