Disney launched its live-action Moana with strong expectations, helped by the huge success of the animated films that came before it. The studio committed 250 million dollars to make the film, then spent another 145 million dollars on promotion, which showed how much it was relying on the project.
The opening weekend, however, has been disappointing. In the United States, the film took only 43 million dollars, while its worldwide total stood at 95 million dollars. Early analysis now suggests that Moana could cost Disney as much as 125 million dollars.
Like the animated version, the new film tells its story through songs. It is set in ancient Polynesia and follows a courageous young woman who sails out on a bold mission to prove herself as an explorer and finish her ancestors’ unfinished search. Catherine Laga'aia stars as Moana, and Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, a half-god role he also voiced in the animated films.
