Why ‘Moana 2’ Is Being Released as a Feature Film
When Disney initially considered the idea of telling a follow-up story to 2016’s Moana, the company eyed streaming as the destination for the sequel.
With all eyes on Disney+, Disney wanted to continue Moana’s story as a streaming series, giving its flagship streamer what would likely be a sure-fire hit.


Photo: Disney
In the years since the series’ inception, however, the media landscape has changed. With Wall Street now more interested in profitability instead of subscriber count and the 2024 box office facing a dearth of films, Moana 2 began to transform into a feature film.
“Disney’s strategy is no longer about spending a lot on streaming content in hopes of attracting [Disney+] subscribers,” says Eric Handler, a senior research analyst at Roth MKM. “They’re asking, ‘How do we maximize revenue and profitability?’”
Creating a Lasting Cultural Impact
By turning Moana 2 into a feature film, Disney hopes to not only have a box-office hit but also release content with a longer cultural impact.


Photo: Disney
Essentially, Disney is trying to re-create the magic of the original Moana, which managed to gross $680 million at the global box office.
Seven years later, Moana was the most streamed movie in the United States, with 11.6 billion minutes watched. After years of chasing streaming success, Disney has found that the traditional distribution method may be best after all.


Photo: Disney
“Theaters have a proven track record of bringing awareness and money,” said Chris Randleman, chief revenue officer of the Texas-based Flix Brewhouse chain. “It’s awesome to see studios switch back to the traditional model, which always worked.”
Redeeming Thanksgiving
By giving Moana 2 a Thanksgiving release date, Disney will also look to stop the box office bleeding.
Both 2022’s Strange World and 2023’s Wish bombed for Disney at the Thanksgiving box office, sullying a release slot that has traditionally been one of Disney’s strongest.


Image: Disney
Films including Frozen, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Coco and Frozen 2 dominated Thanksgiving in the past on the way to becoming Disney classics.
“They can’t have another whiff,” Handler says. “A beloved franchise is an optimal Thanksgiving release.”
Interestingly, Moana 2 is now set to be released on the same weekend as Wicked. The release of two blockbusters on the same weekend, especially during the unusually light 2024 schedule, is seen as a win for movie theaters.


Photo: DIsney+
“It’s a huge win for theaters,” says Randleman. “‘Moana 2’ and ‘Wicked’ are different enough that both can coexist.”
Disney is Optimistic
In the end, the success of Moana will be determined by the quality of its story. In that regard, Iger and Disney are optimistic.


Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
“We were impressed with what we saw and knew it deserved a theatrical release,” he said.
Moana 2 will hit theaters on November 27, 2024.