Moana 2 continues to rewrite the box office history books by shattering another record. The animated sequel grossed a stellar $28 million on Thanksgiving, far eclipsing the $15 million Disney’s Frozen 2 made on the holiday back in 2019. Moana 2 has already made $85.5 million domestically and is projected to gross $175 million over the extended five-day weekend, surpassing the initial estimates that came out before its premiere. Some believe it could top $200 million.
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Even with Moana 2 blowing past the competition, the holdovers are faring well during the holiday. According to Variety, last week’s champion, Wicked, is expected to make $105.6 million this weekend, while Gladiator II should add $45 million to its domestic haul.
Despite receiving lukewarm reviews from critics, Moana 2 wasted no time in setting box office records. The film generated $13.8 million from preview screenings on Tuesday night, the highest mark for a Thanksgiving release. Moana 2 has proven to be a much bigger hit than its predecessor. In 2016, the original Moana opened with $82 million over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend en route to a $248.7 million domestic total.
[Related: Moana 2 Makes Waves at Thanksgiving Box Office Despite Lukewarm Reviews]
Disney’s latest has helped continue an upward trend at the box office in November. After a slow start, fall business at cinemas has improved exponentially, with a trio of high-profile releases all performing well. Things should continue to be this way as the holiday season progresses; while December’s Kraven the Hunter is expected to be a disappointment, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King will likely be sizable draws over Christmas.
With this, Moana has cemented itself as a bona fide franchise for Disney. While a third installment hasn’t been officially announced yet, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before that happens. The Moana 2 post-credits scene lays the groundwork for a Moana 3, and it’s clear audiences are very interested in this property. After the live-action Moana releases in 2026, the Mouse House will likely move forward with another animated entry, hoping it’s just as massive a smash as Moana 2.
Moana 2 should have strong legs at the box office. While it’s in direct competition with Wicked for the family demographic, its record-breaking debut illustrates there’s plenty of room for both to coexist in the marketplace, and there isn’t anything else going after a similar audience until mid-December. That gives Moana 2 a runway of three weeks where it should dominate, quickly becoming one of 2024’s highest grossing films and perhaps even one of the highest grossing titles of all time.