Big Box-Office Weekend for ‘Moana 2’ Could Also Spill Into Oscars

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As a die-hard Disney fan with years of moviegoing experience under my belt, I must say that Moana 2 has been nothing short of a breathtaking spectacle! The film’s record-breaking box office performance is not only impressive but also serves as a strong contender for the upcoming Oscar nominations.

The extraordinary success of Moana 2 at the box office not just fills Disney’s wallets, but also strengthens their argument for receiving an Oscar nomination.

The film has been breaking box office records since it premiered on Thanksgiving night, earning an impressive $221 million over the five-day weekend, with $135.3 million coming from Friday to Sunday alone. This substantial revenue could boost its chances of making a mark in the competitive animation genre, as some Academy voters tend to favor blockbusters or perhaps because the movie has been widely recognized and discussed in popular culture.

Over the past few years, notable animated films like “Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse, The Boy and the Heron“, and “Toy Story 4” have all received nominations for the best animated feature. Interestingly, “Toy Story 4” and another film were the ones that ultimately won this prestigious award.

Initially, the original “Moana” received a nomination for best animated feature following its 2016 premiere. However, this year’s contenders have made it a challenging field, with “The Wild Robot,” “Inside Out 2,” “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,” “Memoir of a Snail,” and “Piece by Piece” contributing to an exceptionally rich and varied selection of animated films. As per the latest Feinberg Forecast, the new “Moana” appears less likely to make the cut, and it has also received cooler reception from critics; currently, it stands at 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant drop of 30 points compared to its previous version.

Surprisingly, the box office showed promising results – significantly exceeding the initially low expectations. In contrast to the anticipated opening of $125 million-$135 million for the five-day holiday weekend, the sequel from Walt Disney Animation earned a stunning $221 million. This unexpected success can be attributed to the high demand for further adventures featuring the courageous Moana, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho, and the demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. Under the guidance of directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the sequel sees our young heroine embarking on an unforeseen journey in waters long lost, after receiving a call from her ancestors.

The movie surpassed the previous five-day weekend opening record of $204 million set by 2023’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, the newly released Moana outperformed the previous record of $125 million held by “Frozen II,” although it was during “Frozen II’s” second weekend. Moreover, “Moana 2” now owns the title for the largest three-day debut of a Disney Animation film, a record previously held by “Frozen II.” It’s important to note that none of these figures have been adjusted for inflation.

Worldwide, the sequel to “Moana” made an impressive debut, earning $165.3 million initially, and ultimately grossing $386.3 million overall. It held the top spot in nearly every country where it premiered, except for China.

The path that led Moana to become a franchise was quite unconventional. Initially, the 2016 film had a good but not exceptional run, and its sequel was initially planned as a series for Disney+. However, in an unexpected turn of events, the original movie turned into a cultural sensation and the most-watched movie across all platforms in 2023, as reported by Nielsen. This sudden surge in popularity prompted a transformation of the project from a series to a feature film.

31 animated films are in contention for the five available slots this year, as they compete. Besides members from the animation branch, any other Academy member can participate in voting, provided they agree to watch a certain number of the eligible films.

Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 17.

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2024-12-02 19:57