Disney's 'Moana' Remake Labeled 'Disastrous' as Dwayne Johnson Faces 'Box Office Irrelevance'

Disney's live-action remake of "Moana" has been described as a "disastrous" box-office debut, leading a prominent film critic to suggest that star Dwayne Johnson is facing "box office irrelevance."

Puck News Box-Office Columnist Scott Mendelson, in a commentary for Matthew Belloni's "What I'm Hearing" newsletter, characterized the film's opening weekend performance as a significant underachievement. The $250 million film garnered $43 million domestically and $95 million worldwide, a figure Mendelson deemed insufficient given the production cost.

Mendelson suggested that Disney may have rushed the remake in an attempt to secure a guaranteed hit, but noted that live-action Disney remakes are not as reliably successful in the 2020s as they were in the previous decade. He indicated that Johnson, 54, appears to be confronting his "declining bankability" through his roles in recent films, including "The Smashing Machine" and the "Moana" remake.

The critical reception for the new "Moana" has also been unfavorable, according to Mendelson. He contrasted the film's performance with the animated "Moana 2," which earned over $1 billion in 2024 and had a domestic opening of $225 million.

Mendelson further posited that the "Moana" remake's struggles, along with those of other recent live-action adaptations, signal a "slow death" for Disney's remake strategy. He pointed out that the original "Moana" was released in 2016, a relatively short period for a remake compared to Disney's typical 27-year gap between original animated films and their live-action counterparts.

He suggested that the original "Moana" might have been too popular and successful, making it an unsuitable candidate for a remake so soon after its initial release. Mendelson also referenced the controversies surrounding the 2025 "Snow White" remake, which also underperformed, and jokingly questioned if similar blame would be assigned to its star, Rachel Zegler.

"Moana '26 does seem to mark the end of an era that began in March 2010 with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland," Mendelson stated, observing that the genre, like Johnson's tenure as Hollywood's top male star, is potentially concluding.

While Disney has further remakes planned, including "Tangled" for 2028 and "How to Train Your Dragon 2" in June, Mendelson anticipates they will not be as frequent or automatically expected to be massive successes. He noted that last summer's live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" grossed $637 million globally.

Mendelson concluded that the "excitement" surrounding the "Moana" remake was "nonexistent," despite the considerable marketing efforts by Disney. He questioned the utility of remaking established properties when they become more of an "obstacle to overcome" than a sure bet.