Moana 2's extraordinary box office performance is not only filling Disney's coffers but also strengthening its case for an Oscar nomination.
Since its release on Thanksgiving Eve, the film has shattered multiple records, earning an impressive $221 million over the five-day weekend, including $135.3 million from Friday to Sunday. This success could help it stand out in the competitive animated film category, as some Academy voters may lean towards blockbusters or appreciate the film's cultural relevance.
In recent years, animated films such as Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse, The Boy and the Heron, and Toy Story 4 have earned Best Animated Feature nominations, with the latter two winning. The first Moana was nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2016, but experts believe this year’s competition is particularly strong. With films like The Wild Robot, Inside Out 2, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Memoir of a Snail, and Piece by Piece entering the mix, the race for nominations is unusually crowded. The latest predictions place Moana 2 on the outskirts of the nomination race, especially with critics giving it a lukewarm reception; the film holds a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a full 30 points lower than its predecessor.
However, the film's box office triumph could influence its chances, especially given that expectations were much lower going into the holiday. Disney had initially forecast a five-day weekend opening of $125 million to $135 million, but the final haul reached $221 million. The demand for the sequel, which continues the adventures of Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) and the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), was clearly high. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana 2 sees the heroine embarking on a new journey in distant waters after a call from her ancestors.
The film set new records, surpassing the previous $204 million five-day opening held by The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and outpacing Frozen II's second-weekend record of $125 million. Moana 2 also claimed the title for the biggest three-day debut of any Disney Animation film, previously held by Frozen II. These numbers are unadjusted for inflation.
Internationally, Moana 2 grossed $165.3 million in its opening weekend, bringing its global total to $386.3 million, topping charts in nearly every country it debuted in, except China.
The journey of Moana into franchise territory is somewhat unconventional. The original film from 2016 was a solid performer, but not a blockbuster. The sequel was initially planned as a Disney+ series. However, after the original movie became a cultural phenomenon and the most-streamed film across all platforms in 2023 (according to Nielsen), plans shifted, and the project evolved into a feature film.
This year, 31 films are competing for a spot in the Best Animated Feature category, with five final nominations up for grabs. In addition to animation branch members, all Academy voters can cast their votes, provided they have watched a minimum number of films.
Oscar nominations will be announced on January 17.
