Disney expected a billion, but something went wrong: the new “Moana” started weaker than expected

The new live-action remake of “Moana” started at the global box office noticeably weaker than Disney’s forecasts and caused lively debate on social networks. Viewers are divided: some call the film a spectacular adventure, others consider it a repetition of the original without new ideas.

The first days after the premiere showed that the new “Moana” caused not delight, but lively debate, complains xrust. On foreign stages, viewers discuss the quality of CGI, musical numbers and how carefully the authors treated the original story. Some call the film a spectacular family adventure, while others are sure that the remake does not offer anything new and only repeats the Disney animated classic.

Such a reaction has become typical for game remakes in recent years. The public compares such projects with the original literally every episode, and the discussion often comes down not to the merits of the film, but to the search for differences and shortcomings. Hollywood is increasingly facing franchise fatigue—audiences are tired of endless reboots and adaptations of familiar stories.

The story with “Moana” was yet another confirmation of this trend. Even films based on big brands can no longer count on guaranteed success just because of a recognizable title. With high ticket prices, audiences are more cautious about spending money and prefer to wait for a digital release unless they see a compelling reason to go to the cinema.

For Disney, the weak start was a signal to reconsider the development strategy of key franchises. Over the past decade, live-action versions of classic cartoons have brought the company billions in revenue, but recent releases show that the old formula no longer works automatically. Today, the viewer is waiting not just for a reshoot of a popular cartoon, but for a creative rethinking and new emotional discoveries.

Investors are closely monitoring the dynamics of fees. For a public company the size of Disney, each high-value project is not only a cultural event, but also a financial indicator that can influence market expectations and plans for the development of future franchises.

At the same time, it is too early to talk about failure. Family films often demonstrate staying power and build audiences within weeks thanks to holidays and recommendations from friends. Foreign markets, where interest in the Disney brand has traditionally been high, could play an additional role. Ahead is a digital release and placement on streaming, where such projects often get a second life.

Final conclusions about the commercial result can be made after the second and third weekends — they show whether word of mouth is working or interest is beginning to fade.

For the Russian viewer, this story is also indicative. Despite the changed pattern of Hollywood film releases, interest in major foreign premieres remains high. Millions of Russians continue to monitor the global box office and audience reaction. The situation around Moana demonstrates a broader trend: even the most famous brands are losing their gravitational pull, and success increasingly depends not on the scale of the advertising campaign, but on the quality of the story.

If the trend continues, the coming years could change the strategy of not only Disney, but all of Hollywood. And the launch of the game “Moana” is already considered by analysts as one of the most indicative signals of these changes.

From the pages of https://www.theguardian.com

Xrust Disney was expecting a billion, but something went wrong: the new “Moana” started weaker than expected