Disney’s highly anticipated Moana 2 set a record for Thanksgiving previews with $13.8 million in its debut over preview showings on Nov. 26. The animated sequel to the 2016 hit Moana-produced by Disney Television Animation is expected to lead the holiday weekend box office.
The original Moana, a darling musical adventure, grossed over $643 million worldwide, and initial signals are that its sequel will also be a bonafide smash. Analysts forecast Moana 2 will gross over $225 million worldwide through Dec. 1, setting the table for a hotly contested holiday season at the multiplexes.
The sequel’s preview earnings outperformed those of recent Disney blockbusters, including this year’s highest-grossing film Inside Out 2, which bowed at $13 million, as well as Toy Story 4 ($12 million) in 2019 and Frozen 2, which grossed $8.5 million.
The Thanksgiving box office was shaping up to be a juggernaut, with Moana 2 duking it out for bragging rights against Paramount Pictures’ Gladiator II and Universal’s Wicked, both of whom have likewise proven themselves unforgiving opponents, banking over a combined $270 million between them worldwide in their first weekends alone.
While Moana 2 is expected to fall short of Inside Out 2‘s $295 million opening weekend, it’s still on pace to lock in its status as one of Disney’s biggest hits of the year, proving once more the durability of the box office appeal of the Polynesian heroine and her voyage across the seas.
Boasting glowing reviews and robust audience interest, Moana 2 is poised to become the holiday classic. Families and fans alike will be eager to revisit the world of Moana, Maui, and the oceanic adventures that captured hearts nearly a decade ago.
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