The success ofMoana 2has set the stage for Disney’s eventual approach to the franchise’s third animated installment,Moana 3. Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson lead theensemble cast ofMoana 2, which also features voice performances by Awhimai Fraser, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk, and Jermaine Clement. After releasing in theaters on July 21, 2025,Moana 2earned a five-day Thanksgiving gross of $221 milliondomestically, whichsurpassed the record set byThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.for the best five-day weekendof all time.
Moana 2’sbox officewas one of the largest of 2024, earning just under $962 million worldwide and becoming the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year.Moana 2’s box office surpassed the original’s box office of $643.3 million, showing massive growth for the franchise. Initially, Disney had planned forMoana 2to be a streaming series on its streaming platform Disney+. Fortunately, Disney changed the plan and got a nearly $1 billion hit, setting the stage forMoana 3to hit theaters in the future.
Moana 2’s Box Office Means Disney Won’t Make Moana 3 As A Show & Then Change It To A Movie
Moana 3 is nearly guaranteed to his theaters at some point
The staggering success ofMoana 2at the late 2024 box office proves that Disney will not be looking to takeMoanaout of theaters anytime soon. WhileMoana 2would likely have been a strong streaming series and would have brought many viewers and numbers to the platform,robbing fans of a trueMoanasequel theater experience would have had disastrous effects. Disney nearly got in its own way of another $1 billion hit movie, which would have been an enormous mistake for themselves and their global audience.
Moana 2’s New Characters, Ranked By How Memorable They Are
Many of the new characters in Moana 2, such as Simea and the wicked storm god Nalo, add fun and exciting elements to the 2016 original film.
Clearly, Disney is now fully aware of the staying power of itsMoanafranchise. Itslive-actionMoanaremake is set to hit theaters in 2026andMoana 3is all but guaranteed to hit theaters, hopefully before the end of the decade. AMoanaseries would still be a great feature to hold fans over after the live-action remake releases. However, Disney should arguably utilize one of its new supporting characters, particularly the dynamic between Moana and her baby sister Simea, in a spin-off series following a new ocean adventure.
Moana 3 Being Developed As A Movie Should Benefit The Sequel
Moana 2’s box office numbers prove that Moana 3 will be a hit
ReleasingMoana 3in theaters is the only way that Disney can truly capitalize on the success of its sequel.Moana 2is visually stunning and is captivating to watch on the big screen, which meansMoana 3released years from now will be even more spectacular and mesmerizing.Moana 2’sbox office numbers prove thatMoana 3will be a hit. Because of that, however, Disney may choose to take their time before churning out a new installment of one of their most prized assets.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
