Disney's highly anticipated animated sequel, Moana 2, made an explosive debut at the Thanksgiving box office, exceeding all expectations and heading into a historic opening weekend. With an incredible $57.5 million opening Wednesday, including $13.8 million from previews, industry experts predict that Moana 2 is on track to earn more than $175 million during its five-day launch period (Wednesday to Sunday). In fact, rival studios are projecting even higher numbers, with estimates topping $200 million, perhaps reaching $225 million or more. However, Disney is remaining tight-lipped until Friday to avoid any premature announcements and comparisons to last weekend's slightly underrated releases, Wicked and Gladiator II.
Moana 2 is set to break several records during its launch week. It has already secured the title of biggest Thanksgiving opening of all time for the five-day period, surpassing the previous record held by Frozen ($94 million). Additionally, it's expected to surpass Frozen II ($125 million) as the biggest earner for the holiday season. The film also achieved significant milestones in its first day alone – becoming the biggest opening day ever for a Walt Disney Animation title and ranking as the third biggest opening day for a film animation (not adjusted for inflation), just behind Incredibles 2 and Inside Out 2. Additionally, it claimed the spot for the third biggest day at the overall box office in 2024 so far, after Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2.
Beyond these achievements, Moana 2 has a chance to become the biggest five-day opener in cinematic history.
Originally developed as a television series before turning into a film sequel, this animated family film from Disney features new songs composed by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Moana 2, directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, reunites the beloved voice cast of Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. The story follows Moana as she embarks on an unexpected adventure into uncharted waters after receiving a call from her ancestors. Johnson reprises his role as the demigod Maui.
Despite receiving mixed reviews compared to its predecessor, Moana 2 continues to garner immense interest among audiences. The film's audience score (now known as the “popcornmeter”) on Rotten Tomatoes stands at an impressive 88 percent, while it earned an A- CinemaScore (compared to Moana's A rating) and receives solid positive feedback on PostTrak. Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes currently have an approval rating of 66 percent, in contrast to the original film's excellent 95 percent.
Thanks to the combined power of Moana 2, Universal's Wicked and Paramount's Gladiator II, overall five-day box office revenues for the Thanksgiving holiday are expected to reach all-time highs – potentially surpassing $315 million.
Jon M. Chu's highly anticipated adaptation of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has also had a record-breaking run so far. It's expected to gross $97.1 million over the five-day holiday period after opening with an impressive $112 million last weekend – making it the musical comedy adaptation most profitable Broadway show. With domestic ticket sales estimated to exceed $240 million by Sunday, Wicked is proving to be a formidable contender alongside Moana 2 to dominate the Thanksgiving box office this year.
