‘Moana 2’ Has the Best Thanksgiving Day in Box Office History

Leading up to this week’s release of Moana 2, expectations for the film were sky-high.

In the eight years since the first Moana film hit theaters, the movie has become a modern classic, revered by throngs of fans across the globe. In an era where even the most popular films seem to be just a flash in the pan, Moana proved to have a rare kind of staying power.

Photo: Billboard

In recent years, the film has remained at the forefront of popular culture, and in 2023, it was the most-watched movie on streaming. When Disney surprised everyone by announcing that Moana 2 would sail into theaters this November, the excitement was palpable.

A Record-Breaking Launch

Not even Moana’s biggest fans, however, could have foreseen the kind of success the film has had at the box office. Yesterday, Moana 2 grossed $28 million at the domestic box office, delivering the best Thanksgiving Day ever. Even more notably, the film nearly doubled the total of the previous record holder, 2019’s Frozen II (which made $14.9 million).

Photo: Disney

Disney is currently projecting Moana 2 to gross over $175 million at the domestic box office over its first five days. However, if the early trends continue, it could easily surpass $200 million.

Photo: Disney

Internationally, the film has also made a splash, bringing home $110 million at global box offices through Thursday. It is now painfully clear that not only does Disney have another blockbuster on its hands, but Moana 2 also has a real chance of surpassing Inside Out 2 and becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

Can ‘Moana 2’ Hit $200 Million

How well Moana 2 does on Black Friday will likely determine whether or not the film can hit $200 million. Regardless, the film is a massive success for Disney, which has rebounded spectacularly at the box office this year with the aforementioned Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.

Photo: Disney

With Moana 2’s financial success secure, the only question now is how far it will go.