Disney’s new Moana has delivered one of the studio’s weakest openings for a modern remake.

The film made an estimated US$95 million (A$145 million) globally during its opening weekend, including US$43 million in North America, despite carrying a reported production budget of around US$250 million (A$360 million).

While the remake took the number one spot at the weekend box office, its debut was well below the original 2016 animated film, which opened to US$56.6 million domestically before going on to earn more than US$640 million worldwide. It also trails the blockbuster performance of Moana 2, which exceeded US$1 billion globally following its 2024 release.

Industry analysts believe Disney may have moved too quickly with the remake, launching it only a few years after the original became one of the company’s biggest streaming successes on Disney+ and perhaps following too closely behind the sequel.

Unlike earlier live-action remakes such as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, which revisited films released decades earlier, Moana offered audiences little that was significantly different from the animated version, reducing the incentive to return to cinemas.

Despite the disappointing opening figures, the movie has enjoyed generally positive reactions among audiences.

For Disney, the result is likely to create scrutiny over its remake strategy as the company continues investing heavily in reimagining its catalogue of animations.

Many of Disney’s live-action adaptations have generated billions at the global box office, however recent releases, including Snow White and now Moana have not enjoyed the same success. It suggests the novelty has worn off for audiences, who may be becoming more selective, particularly when remakes closely follow the originals.