‘Moana 2’ Is Tracking Towards a $100 Million Opening as Disney Continues to Dominate the Box Office

After a difficult 2023 at the box office, Disney came roaring back this year with the two-headed monster of Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine. After firmly re-establishing itself as the king of movie theaters, the company will look to keep the good times rolling with Thanksgiving’s Moana 2.

Set three years after the first Moana film, the upcoming sequel will follow the adventures of the young Wayfinder as she sets sail to reconnect the people of Oceania.

Photo: Disney

“Before Maui stole Te Fitit’s heart, our ancestors wanted to connect our island to all the people of the entire ocean. It’s my job as a Wayfinder to finish what they started,” Moana explains in the film’s first trailer.

Anticipation For ‘Moana 2’ Is Sky High

Since hitting theaters in 2016, Disney’s Moana has resonated with fans in a way that few other animated films have. Eight years after the movie’s release, Moana has continued to dominate the streaming charts, often being the most-watched Disney movie of the year.

Earlier this year, the trailer for Moana 2 became the most-viewed trailer ever for an animated film.

Photo: Disney

Needless to say, anticipation for Moana 2 is high.

Early Projections For ‘Moana 2’s’  Box Office Debut

Based on early tracking, Disney has another blockbuster on its hands with Moana 2. According to Quorum, the film is projected to gross over $100 million over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend. Between Friday and Sunday, the film is looking at somewhere between $75 and $82 million.

The first Moana film grossed $82 million over its first five days, on its way to hauling in  $248.7 million in domestic theaters.

Photo: Disney

If Moana 2 can deliver for Disney, it will be the studio’s third major hit of 2024. Perhaps just as importantly, however, it will also mark a Thanksgiving comeback.

Disney has long taken advantage of the extended Thanksgiving weekend to release its biggest animated films. Over the last couple of years, however, things have not gone according to plan.

In 2022, Disney released Strange World over Thanksgiving, only for the film to be one of the studio’s biggest animated bombs ever.

Photo: Disney

Perhaps even more disappointing, however, was the reception to last year’s Wish. Promoted as the crown jewel of the Disney100 celebration and a culmination of 100 years of Disney storytelling, the film received middling reviews from critics and was largely ignored by moviegoers.

The Disney Comeback

Now, all eyes will be on Moana 2. If the film can reach the $100 million barrier, it would deliver the biggest opening for a movie landing in theaters the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The record is currently held by 2013’s Frozen, with $93.5 million.

Photo: Disney

If Moana 2 can deliver, it will be smooth sailing for Disney.