Animated Disney Movie Comparisons and Box Office Records Explained
Moana 2 has emerged as a significant box office triumph, with a staggering $386 million opening weekend. The first Moana, released in 2016, was not only a critical darling but also a commercial powerhouse, maintaining its popularity over the years. This success naturally paved the way for a sequel, although Moana 2 was initially intended to be a Disney+ exclusive. Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that the project transitioned from a streaming series to a theatrical release after executives were captivated by the early footage, believing it warranted a grand premiere on the big screen.
Iger and the Disney leadership team had strong confidence in Moana 2, given that the original film was streamed for over 1 billion hours on Disney+ and ranked as the most-watched movie across all streaming platforms in 2023. This unwavering confidence has proven well-founded, as evidenced by Moana 2‘s record-setting box office debut. This achievement stands out even amidst fierce competition from other blockbusters like Wicked and Gladiator II, showcasing that Moana 2 has already set multiple new records and is expected to continue breaking more as it remains in theaters.
Discover How Moana 2 Achieved a $386 Million Worldwide Box Office Opening
The Role of High Anticipation and Strategic Release Timing in Moana 2’s Success
During its five-day opening period, Moana 2 amassed an impressive $386 million globally, comprising $221 million from domestic markets and $165 million internationally (as reported by Box Office Mojo). The sequel made its debut in theaters on November 27, right before Thanksgiving. Although the family-friendly nature of the film would likely have ensured strong performance at any time of year, its release coincided perfectly with a long holiday weekend when children were off from school and many adults were enjoying time away from work. This timing positioned Moana 2 as an ideal choice for families looking for entertainment during the Thanksgiving festivities.
Related
Understanding Moana 2’s Ending: Implications for Moana 3
The conclusion of Moana 2 sets the stage for the franchise to expand further and provides the titular Wayfinder with an unexpected new journey ahead.
The original Moana film’s immense popularity at its 2016 release, combined with the substantial viewership on Disney+, has translated into a significant audience turnout for the sequel during its opening week. This anticipated success was indicated through Moana 2‘s ticket pre-sales, which by October 30 had already reached the highest figures for any animated movie set to release in 2024, nearly a month before its official debut. The Moana franchise has garnered a dedicated fanbase among both domestic and international viewers, a fact reflected in its impressive box office numbers.
Explore Every Box Office Record Broken by Moana 2’s Opening Weekend
Analyzing the Domestic, International, and Worldwide Records Shattered by the Sequel
According to reports from Disney and Comscore (as cited by The Hollywood Reporter), Moana 2‘s $221 million domestic opening represents an all-time record for a five-day debut, marking the highest ever for a Thanksgiving release. This record surpasses the previous benchmark set by Frozen II, which earned $125 million, and highlights Moana 2‘s remarkable achievement. Additionally, Moana 2 achieved the largest Thanksgiving nationwide opening ever, quickly outpacing the original Frozen film’s $93.6 million.
|
Movie |
Biggest Ever 5-Day Thanksgiving Nationwide Opening |
|---|---|
|
Moana 2 (2024) |
$221 million |
|
Frozen (2013) |
$93.6 million |
|
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) |
$84.8 million |
|
Toy Story 2 (1999) |
$80.1 million |
|
Coco (2017) |
$72.9 million |
Moana 2 has set numerous records, including the biggest global opening ever for an animated film, the largest Black Friday revenue in history, the highest Thanksgiving Day gross, and the largest opening day revenue for a Disney animated film. The sequel has outperformed Frozen II in all of these categories, except for the highest global opening for an animated movie. In the international arena, Moana 2 achieved record-breaking openings, including the best animated movie opening in France, the second largest in Italy and Brazil, and the top opening for a Disney animated film in Latin America.
Moana 2’s Worldwide Opening Surpasses The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s Record
Understanding The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s Success During Disney’s Challenging Times
Before Moana 2, the record for the largest worldwide opening for an animated film was held by The Super Mario Bros. Movie at $377 million. This record was set in April 2023 during a period when Disney was facing challenges, as its animated films had struggled at the box office following the disappointing performances of Lightyear and Strange World in 2022. It represents a significant achievement for a Disney animated film to have reclaimed this record from The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
While Moana 2 breaking records established by Frozen and Frozen II is remarkable, it is perhaps even more significant that Disney’s latest animated feature has outperformed competitors from other studios.
In addition to previously holding the title for the highest global opening of an animated film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie also boasted the largest domestic five-day debut at $204 million. While Moana 2 breaking records held by Frozen and Frozen II is an impressive feat, it is arguably even more crucial for Disney’s latest animated release to have outperformed rival films from other studios. This competition will be significant to monitor as Moana 2 progresses through its box office run.
How Moana 2’s 3-Day Opening Weekend Stacks Up Against Inside Out 2 and Other Disney Animated Films
2024: A Remarkable Year for Disney Animated Films
Moana 2‘s impressive opening performance follows the success of Inside Out 2, which has become the highest-grossing movie of 2024 and the eighth highest-grossing film of all time with an astounding $1.7 billion in worldwide earnings (according to Box Office Mojo). The three-day opening weekend for Moana 2 reached $139.7 million, which, while impressive, falls short of Inside Out 2‘s record-setting three-day opening of $155 million, a benchmark that helped the Disney Pixar sequel secure its place among the top-grossing films.
Inside Out 2 has also achieved the status of the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
While Moana 2’s $139.7 million opening weekend surpasses Frozen II‘s $130 million initial earnings, it is noteworthy that prior to Moana 2, Frozen II was the last Disney animated film to achieve box office success during the Thanksgiving period. In contrast, Encanto, Strange World, and Wish underperformed at the box office. Moana 2 significantly outperformed these three films, which opened to respective earnings of $27 million, $12 million, and $19.5 million. In the same year as Frozen II, Disney also enjoyed another animated hit with Pixar’s Toy Story 4, which had an opening of $118 million, now eclipsed by Moana 2.
