In under a decade,Moanais already getting a live-action remake much sooner than any other Disney princess, and her sequel film,Moana 2, has hit theaters with early success.Moana 2also joins a once-rare club as one of the Disney animated sequels to go to theaters.
While this has become more commonplace with movies likeFrozen 2andRalph Breaks the Internet, in the past, manyDisney animated movie sequelswould go straight to video or DVD. The quality of these films also was not always as impressive as their original movies.This was the case for the sequel toAtlantis: The Lost Empire; however, that movie – likeMoana 2– was not initially meant to be a film.It was meant to be a television series. However, it was made into a film almost as if this were a form of punishment, whileMoana 2builds offMoana’sinitial success.
Moana 2’s Release Plan Is Almost Identical To How Disney Handled Atlantis: The Lost Empire’s Sequel
Moana and Atlantis Both Got TV Series That Became Sequel Movies
Aside fromAtlantis: The Lost EmpireandMoanabeing adventure-based animated films with rich mythologies and lore, the two Disney movies both received sequel films that did not start off as movies. In the case ofAtlantis, the expectations for this film were high, and Disney planned a sequel series that would have a “monster of the week” approach while further exploring the lore and technology of Atlantis (viaCBR). However,after a disappointing box office forAtlantis: The Lost Empire, the first three episodes of that series were turned intoAtlantis: Milo’s Return,astraight-to-video Disney sequel.
Moana 2 Songs Defended From Criticisms By Writers: “Give It A Month”
Moana 2 songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear respond to criticism of their soundtrack, emphasizing its fresh take and the challenges of sequels.
Meanwhile,Moanawas also set to receive a sequel series, but unlikeAtlantis' series, which would have likely aired on TV and joined the ranks of series likeHercules: The Animated SeriesandThe Legend of Tarzan,Moanawould have gone to streaming on Disney+. This changed when Disney announced in February 2024 thatMoana 2would be hitting theaters that November (viaCinemablend).UnlikeAtlantis,Moanagets a second chance on the big screen, and that is likely because ofMoana’sbox office.
Moana 2 Was Set Up For Success Better Than Atlantis: Milo’s Return
Moana’s Initial Financial Success Paved The Way For Its Sequel’s Success
WhenAtlantis: Milo’s Returnwas turned into a direct-to-video sequel as opposed to a TV series, this felt like a punishment for the movie’s poor box office of $186,053,725– just barely breaking even with a production budget of $90 million (viaThe Numbers).Atlantisalso has a 49 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, despite some having a soft spot forMichael J. Fox’s forgotten Disney movie.
Along with the TV series being condensed into a movie, all other plans connected toAtlantis– including park attractions according toCBR– were canceled. That sequel was also not received well, with an audience score of 29 percent (viaRotten Tomatoes) further tarnishing the first film.
$186,053,725 (viaBox Office Mojo)
Moana
$643,332,467 (viaBox Office Mojo)
Moana, on the other hand, was a massive success critically and financially.With a box office of over $600 million, it was a matter of time before it got a sequel, along with the anticipated live-action remake. Said sequel is already proving this is a smart move for Disney.
Moana 2’smassive opening helped the franchise pass a huge box office milestone, making this a $1 billion franchise thanks to its $389.2 million worldwide box office over the Thanksgiving weekend. Disney saw success with the firstMoana, unlikeAtlantis, so it was willing to give it another shot in theaters to make more money, and that gamble paid off.
Moana 2
Cast
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
