According to Fandango, "Moana 2," the newest animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, has broken box office records with first-day advance ticket sales. The movie outsold other 2024 blockbusters, such as the Disney/Pixar blockbuster "Inside Out 2," and is now the fourth-highest advance ticket seller of the year, only surpassed by "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Wicked," and "Dune: Part 2."
Named "Moanapocalypse" by industry observers, this much awaited sequel will be released on November 27, right before Thanksgiving. Being released a few days after the premieres of "Gladiator II" and "Wicked," "Moana 2" is ideally positioned for a strong weekend at the box office.
Voice actors Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson return in the film, which is directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller. With Johnson returning to his iconic role as the demigod Maui, the story begins with Moana setting off on an exciting adventure over unexplored waters, led by the call of her ancestors.
Originally conceived as a television series, "Moana 2" was subsequently adapted into a motion picture. Its producers are Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, while its songwriters are Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. The enthusiasm for this sequel has only been heightened by the enormous success of the first "Moana" movie, which made over $687 million globally and was the most streamed film in 2023, according to Nielsen.
With an incredible 178 million views on the first day, the trailer for "Moana 2," which was published in late May, broke previous records for Disney's animated films. This number is higher than any of the Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar trailers to date.
In addition to the animation follow-up, Disney and Dwayne Johnson are working together on a live-action version of "Moana," which is slated to be released in theaters in July 2026 and is helmed by Thomas Kail. Both moviegoers and theater owners are excited to see if "Moana 2" will maintain the momentum of its early popularity when it makes its official debut.