Moana 2has officially entered the Top 30 on the all-time domestic box office chart, surpassingBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwith a $453.9 million total. Following up on the success of 2016’sMoana, the sequel follows Moana’s journey to the far seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her ancestors.Moana 2’svoice castsees Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprise their respective voice roles as Moana and Maui, and features other voice talent from Rose Matafeo, David Fane, and Awhimai Fraser.
According toThe Numbers, Moana 2opened to $139.7 million domestically and has shown strong week-to-week retention since.With $453.9 million earned in North America, the sequel is now among the highest-grossing animated films ever released.By surpassingBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, which grossed $453.8 million domestically in its full run,Moana 2has entered a new tier of box office success at number 29 on the all-time domestic charts.
What This Means For Moana 2’s Box Office Standing
Moana 2 Has Become A Resounding Success
With a $453.9 million domestic total,Moana 2is one of the highest-grossing films of 2024 and of all-time. Against a budget of $150 million, the film performed well in both North America and international markets, particularly in France and the UK.Its box office numbers place it among Disney’s most successful animated films, surpassing the domestic totals ofThe Lion King(1994), which earned $423.9 domestically, andToy Story 4,which earned $434 million domestically. Compared to the first film, which earned $248.7 million domestically,Moana 2just comes short of earning double that amount.
Moana 2 Continues A Disney Box Office Trend Toy Story 4 Started 6 Years Ago
The financial success of Moana 2 has allowed an impressive box office trend for Disney that has lasted for six years to continue.
Furthermore, surpassingBlack Panther: Wakanda Forevermarks a major achievement given the latter’s box office impact in 2022.Black Panther: Wakanda Forevergrossed $453.8 million domestically over its full theatrical run, butMoana 2moves past itin the cumulative ranking due to how box office records are tracked.Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveropened to $181 million, whereasMoana 2’saforementioned $139.7 million performance was slower during its opening.
Compared to other 2024 releases,Moana 2has outperformed many major live-action and other animated films. It has surpassed the domestic totals of animated films likeKung Fu Panda 4($193.5M) andDespicable Me 4($361M). Other films released around the same time, such asDune: Part Two($282.7M) andGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire($196.8M), also had strong box office runs, butMoana 2’s box office performancedemonstrates animation’s continued ability to compete with live-action tentpoles.
Our Take On Moana 2’s Box Office Success
Moana 2Proves Sequels Can Outperform the Original
Moana 2reaching the Top 30 all-time domestic box office list speaks to the franchise’s appeal and Disney’s ability to draw audiences back to theaters with an animated sequel. While the industry continues to navigate evolving theatrical trends,Moana 2proves that animated sequels can still achieve massive box office success.And though not yet officially ordered by Disney, aMoana 3seems all the more likelygiven the success of the first two movies.
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.
