As a seasoned moviegoer who has weathered numerous blockbusters, flops, and everything in between, I must admit that the latest development surrounding Moana 2 leaves me feeling a bit like I’ve been caught in an unexpected squall. The late review embargo, just hours before the first screenings, is reminiscent of a cat burglar slipping into a house at midnight to snatch the family jewels – in this case, the critical reviews.
The anticipated sequel to Moana, slated for release in 2024, might become one of the year’s highest-grossing films. However, it seems that Disney’s initial high spirits are waning as the review embargo is lifted mere hours before the public screenings begin. Set three years after the original film, Moana 2 follows Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) as she once again sails the ocean, this time due to a curse affecting her homeland. She gathers her own team and joins forces with Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to confront various dangers. The original Moana has gained significant acclaim within Disney’s library, becoming the most-watched movie on Disney+. Therefore, the announcement of a sequel was greeted positively. But what makes Disney hesitant to release a flood of new reviews so close to the premiere?
On his now-X (previously Twitter) platform, The Hollywood Handle’s Editor-in-Chief Ricardo Aymar revealed that the review restrictions for Moana 2 will be lifted at 12pm ET on November 26, 2024 – mere hours before the initial Tuesday preview showings and a day prior to its official premiere. Aymar expressed his surprise at the late timing, and it’s no wonder that fans share this sentiment, as Moana 2 is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, and the original Moana holds a cherished place in modern Disney history with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
When a film’s screening is delayed with an embargo, it often indicates that the studio may lack confidence in the movie quality. The studio might hope to suppress negative word-of-mouth and boost box office returns by postponing reviews until the last moment. Notably, some poorly received films have been screened under late embargoes, such as 2015’s Fantastic Four, Lionsgate’s Borderlands, and A Good Day to Die Hard, which didn’t lift its embargo until it opened. However, not every film with a late embargo is destined for failure; Disney applied the same strategy with Christopher Robin in 2018, lifting the embargo the day before release, and many were taken aback by the positive feedback the movie received, garnering a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and being praised as one of Disney’s best live-action remakes. Therefore, while a late embargo for Moana 2 may not be a definite red flag, it does warrant some concern.
Disney Is on the Defensive With ‘Moana 2’
Disney’s decision to maintain a close review embargo for “Moana 2” could potentially be due to some apprehension within the studio following their 2023 film lineup. While Disney had high expectations for their releases that year, with “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Elemental” slated for screening at Cannes Film Festival a month before their respective theater debuts, these films received mixed reviews from critics. This negative buzz persisted for an entire month prior to either film’s release, potentially impacting ticket sales. Disney chose to lift the review embargo for “Wish” five days before its release, hoping it would be a blockbuster hit. However, “Wish” was met with largely unfavorable reviews, and the anticipation leading up to its opening weekend was not positive. Consequently, “Wish” underperformed at the box office.
Originally planned as a Disney+ series, Moana 2 was later transformed into a full-length film, leaving some fans apprehensive about how it compares to the original movie or if it feels like the direct-to-video sequels that pieced together episodes of a television show, such as Belle’s Magical World and Cinderella II: Dreams Come True. With high expectations on Disney for Moana 2, given three consecutive Thanksgiving weekends of underperforming box office performances (Encanto) and flops (Strange World, Wish)), the movie is anticipated to make a significant impact during what’s projected to be the largest opening holiday weekend. While audiences may initially flock to see the film, it remains to be seen if Moana 2 can sustain box office success in subsequent weeks and reach the same level of achievement as its predecessor.
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2024-11-15 21:01