The Walt Disney Company鈥檚 live action may be the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office, but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters.
The movie, which cost a reported $250 million to produce, earned just $43 million from ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Internationally, it earned $52 million from 50 markets, adding up to a $95 million global debut.
The studio bet big on 鈥淢oana,鈥� one of its most popular franchises. The 2016 animated film is the most watched movie on Disney+. Its sequel, which was stitched together from a planned streaming series, made over $1 billion and scored a Thanksgiving record when it opened with $225 million in 2024. was also released just 19 months ago.
This latest 鈥淢oana,鈥� directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson back as the demigod Maui and introduces as the adventuring Polynesian princess. Despite praise for Laga驶aia, the film set sail on a wave of dismal reviews from critics for being essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original.
What audiences say about 鈥淢辞补苍补鈥�
It鈥檚 currently sitting at a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, the majority of whom were women (66%), were less negative: According to PostTrak, 63% said they would 鈥渄efinitely鈥� recommend the film to their friends. Parent reactions were even stronger, with 78% saying they would recommend it to other parents. It also got a promising A- CinemaScore.
Disney鈥檚 live action remakes of beloved animated films, new and old, have had their share of successes and disappointments. Some have made over $1 billion, including 鈥淟ilo & Stitch,鈥� 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� and 鈥淏eauty and the Beast.鈥� Others have floundered, most notably last year鈥檚 鈥淪now White,鈥� which made only $205 million worldwide. 鈥淢辞补苍补鈥� opened more on par with 鈥淪now White鈥� ($42.2 million).
Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, said 鈥淢oana’s鈥� debut could also be a product of PG-rated oversaturation in the marketplace: Universal鈥檚 was in second place with $20.5 million and 鈥淭oy Story 5鈥� was close behind in third place with $18.5 million.
鈥淔amilies love going to the movies, but right now there are three of them,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot of competition.鈥�
PG-rated films outgrossed others in 2024 and 2025, so 鈥淢oana’s鈥� performance may not be a case of 鈥渇amily movie fatigue,鈥� he said, but simply shows there can be a ceiling. Families have to make a choice, and after four weekends, 鈥淭oy Story 5鈥� is still going strong with a running global total of $879.1 million.
There also are signs that these movies might not sink or swim based on the opening weekend alone. Although 鈥淢inions & Monsters鈥� opened below expectations over the Fourth of July holiday, it also had a modest 45% drop this weekend. Its running domestic total is currently sitting at $108.3 million.
Elsewhere at the box office, horror and history
The weekend鈥檚 other big new opener was definitely not PG: The R-rated horror a Warner Bros. release, opened in fourth place with $13.7 million. It鈥檚 a significant dip from the previous two films in the series, which both opened in the $25 million range.
Angel Studios鈥� George Washington movie 鈥淵oung Washington鈥� rounded out the top five films in its second weekend in theaters, with $6.4 million. Olivia Wilde鈥檚 chamber dramedy 鈥淭he Invite鈥� landed in sixth place in its first weekend in wide release, with $5.7 million from 1,610 theaters.
And though it has dropped out of the top 10 domestically, 鈥淢ichael鈥� has officially crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, only the second film this year to do so after 鈥淭he Super Mario Galaxy Movie.鈥� It鈥檚 also now the highest grossing musical biopic of all time, a title previously held by 鈥淏ohemian Rhapsody.鈥�
The total domestic box office for the year is currently sitting just under $5.2 billion, up about 10.7% from this point last year. While both May and June were very strong 鈥� both generating over $1 billion in North America 鈥� July, Dergarabedian said, has faced some headwinds with a string of underperformers, including 鈥淪upergirl.鈥� Things will likely pick up next week with the arrival of followed by 鈥淪pider-Man: Brand New Day鈥� the weekend after.
鈥淭hey could power a stronger August than July at the box office, which would be very unusual,鈥� Dergarabedian said.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1. 鈥淢oana,鈥� $43 million.
2. 鈥淢inions & Monsters,鈥� $20.5 million.
3. 鈥淭oy Story 5,鈥� $18.5 million.
4. 鈥淓vil Dead Burn,鈥� $13.7 million.
5. 鈥淵oung Washington,鈥� $6.4 million.
6. 鈥淭he Invite,鈥� $5.7 million.
7. 鈥淥bsession,鈥� $3.8 million.
8. 鈥淪upergirl,鈥� $3.6 million.
9. 鈥淒isclosure Day,鈥� $3.2 million.
10. 鈥淏ackrooms,鈥� $1.5 million.
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