'Moana 2,' which earned $1B, was almost a TV show
What's the story
The animated sequel Moana 2 has officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, becoming one of 2024's highest-grossing films.
Released in November 2024, the film follows Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) as she sets sail into Oceania's treacherous seas after an unexpected call from her ancestors.
The voice cast also features Dwayne Johnson, Hualalai Chung, David Fane, and Rose Matafeo.
Strategic shift
'Moana 2' was initially planned as a Disney+ series
Interestingly, Moana 2 was originally conceived as a streaming-exclusive series for Disney+. However, it was later converted into a film for theatrical release.
The strategy has worked, with the film now being the third highest-grossing Disney film of the year, after Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine.
Its Thanksgiving premiere (in the US) broke a box office record with a $225 million opening, beating Frozen II's previous record of $125 million.
Box office triumph
'Moana 2' outperformed original film in global markets
The sequel's $1 billion global earnings surpassed the original Moana's $680 million haul in 2016.
This success can be credited to its wide theatrical release strategy, which enabled it to cater to a wider spectrum of global markets. The film did particularly well in the US, China, and Europe.
Even with mixed reviews, strong word-of-mouth kept it in theaters for seven weekends straight.
Competitive edge
'Moana 2' outshines other 2024 releases
Compared to other films that hit theaters in 2024, Moana 2 has become a box office juggernaut.
It has surpassed movies like Mufasa: The Lion King ($542.3 million), Wicked ($708.6 million), and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ($419.9 million).
This accomplishment puts Moana 2 in the same league as other billion-dollar animated blockbusters like The Lion King (2019) and The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023).