Disney’s Live-Action Remakes May Halt Production After ‘Moana’ Update
Disney’s latest return to its animated library has hit an early hurdle. Just days into its theatrical run, Moana (2026) has earned a 36% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it below 2025’s Snow White (39%) and making it the studio’s lowest-rated live-action remake in recent years.
The result is particularly notable considering the difficult road traveled by Snow White. Directed by Marc Webb, the film starred Rachel Zegler as the iconic princess alongside Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Long before its release, the project attracted debate over its casting, creative direction, and its approach to the Seven Dwarfs. When it finally reached theaters, the film struggled commercially, becoming one of Disney’s most disappointing live-action releases in recent memory.
Following Snow White‘s performance, many questioned whether Disney would reconsider its long-running remake strategy. Instead, the studio has continued developing new adaptations, with a live-action version of Tangled (2010) already in production. The project is directed by The Greatest Showman (2017) filmmaker Michael Gracey and stars Teagan Croft, Milo Manheim, Kathryn Hahn, and Diego Luna.
Moana appeared to be one of Disney’s safest choices. Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as Maui nearly a decade after first voicing the character in the animated original. Johnson also serves as a producer and has described the film as deeply personal because of its connection to Polynesian culture.
Hamilton director Thomas Kail makes his feature filmmaking debut, working from a screenplay by original Moana writer Jared Bush alongside Dana Ledoux Miller, who previously said audiences should expect “a real human vulnerability that will make it feel fresh.”
The production also reunites Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina for the music. Catherine Laga’aia leads the film as Moana, while original voice actor Auli’i Cravalho stepped into an executive producer position after explaining that authentic casting was important to the project. John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Rena Owen also join a cast assembled to reflect Pacific Island representation.
Despite the talent attached to the production, expectations had already begun slipping before opening weekend. A post from Global Box Office on X claimed: “MOANA live-action remake, starring Dwayne Johnson, has pre-sales bombing harder than expected. The projection for its domestic opening weekend is now down to $45M-$60M. With a budget of ~$200M, it is on track to become one of Disney’s biggest bombs.”
Not everyone agreed with those projections. One fan argued that the original animated Moana remains a “Disney+ goldmine” and predicted an $84 million domestic opening, suggesting it could outperform Minions & Monsters (2026).
Many online reactions, however, questioned the need for another remake altogether. Several commenters argued that audiences never wanted the project, while others criticized Johnson’s live-action appearance as Maui for remaining too similar to the animated version. One user wrote, “Let this finally be the end of the live-action remake,” calling on Disney to focus instead on “updated animation.” Others expressed sympathy for Catherine Laga’aia, with one commenter saying they “feel bad for the girl playing Moana.”
The comparisons become even sharper when measured against the franchise’s previous success. Moana 2 (2024) debuted with $389 million globally over five days before finishing its theatrical run with $1.059 billion worldwide, setting a financial benchmark that the live-action adaptation now appears unlikely to match.
With Rotten Tomatoes scores now placing Moana beneath Snow White, Disney once again finds itself facing questions about the future of its live-action remake slate, even as Tangled continues moving through production.
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