Disney’s latest attempt to transform one of its beloved animated films into a live-action blockbuster is facing rough waters before it even reaches theaters.
The live-action remake of Moana debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a dismal 32% critic score before rising to 36%, putting the film firmly in “rotten” territory and raising new questions about Disney’s ongoing strategy of remaking its animated classics.
Perhaps even more surprising is where the criticism is coming from.
While audiences have spent years debating whether Disney’s live-action remakes are necessary, many professional critics now appear to be making the same argument. A recurring complaint across early reviews is that the new Moana fails to justify its own existence beyond recreating a movie audiences already loved.
That could create major problems for Disney as the film also faces concerning box office projections heading into opening weekend.
Critics Rip Disney’s Live-Action Moana For Failing To Justify Its Existence
The original Moana released in 2016 and quickly became one of Disney’s most successful modern animated properties, thanks to its music, characters, and performances from Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
But critics are questioning why Disney felt the need to revisit the story less than a decade later.
Even some positive reviews acknowledged the remake’s biggest challenge.
The like to dislike ratio for the first Moana trailer as of June 7, 2026 – YouTube, Disney
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Aaron Pruner of CNET gave the movie a positive review but still admitted the project felt unnecessary.
“Disney’s live-action Moana (which hits theaters on Friday) is an absolutely unnecessary addition to the franchise,” Pruner wrote. “But despite that, it’s fun. In fact, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a theater while watching one of these live-action retreads.”
Other critics were much less forgiving.
Robbie Collin of the Daily Telegraph gave the film a negative review and compared the remake to something generated by artificial intelligence.
“…there is barely a moment in it which feels as if it couldn’t have been achieved by typing: ‘What if this scene from Moana was remade in live action?’ into a video generator’s prompt box,” Collin wrote.
Critics Accuse Moana Remake Of Being A Near Copy Of The Original
The biggest issue critics appear to have with Moana is not that Disney changed too much from the animated film. Instead, many argue the company barely changed anything at all.
Mark Keizer of MovieWeb called the film, “A near-shot-for-shot remake that adds live actors like Dwayne Johnson, but lacks much of the original’s wit, charm, and heart.”
Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle similarly criticized the film for closely following the original screenplay.
Moana in the live action movie – YouTube, Disney
“Screenwriter Dana Ledoux Miller barely tinkers with Jared Bush’s words from the original, which leaves little to be surprised or excited by,” Whittaker wrote.
Kaitlyn Booth of Bleeding Cool argued that the transition from animation to live-action actually weakened some elements that made the original stand out.
“Moana is a remake in every sense of the word, with the only meaningful difference being the change in medium, which somehow makes some of the most beautiful locations look drab and ugly,” Booth wrote.
Disney’s Live-Action Remake Strategy Faces Growing Questions
The harsh reaction to Moana highlights a larger issue Disney has been facing for years.
The company’s live-action remake strategy was once considered one of the safest bets in Hollywood. Films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King generated massive worldwide box office returns by bringing classic animated stories to a new generation.
But more recent entries have shown signs of audience fatigue.
Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The Little Mermaid struggled at the box office, while Snow White became one of Disney’s most high-profile box office disasters following years of controversy.
The challenge facing Moana may be even greater because of how recently audiences experienced the original movie.
Unlike previous Disney remakes that arrived decades after their animated versions, Moana is based on a film that released in 2016 and remains extremely popular. Disney also recently returned to the franchise with Moana 2, making the live-action version feel less like a revival and more like another extension of a property that never disappeared.
Moana Box Office Projections Raise Concerns Ahead Of Release
The negative reviews arrive as Moana is already facing questions about its box office potential.
Global Box Office has projected the film could open between $45 million and $60 million domestically, a surprisingly low number for a remake based on one of Disney’s biggest modern franchises.
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. pic.twitter.com/spWLuN3Ch8
— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) July 6, 2026
Box Office Theory currently has a more optimistic projection, estimating an opening weekend between $57 million and $72 million.
However, even the higher end of those expectations would represent a significant warning sign considering the strength of the Moana brand and Disney’s historical success with live-action remakes.
The original animated film became a cultural phenomenon, and Disney clearly believed the property was powerful enough to support multiple projects across animation and live-action.
Now the company will find out if audiences still have interest in seeing familiar animated classics recreated with real actors.
Critics have already delivered their answer. The question is whether moviegoers will feel differently.
How do you feel about these Moana Rotten Tomatoes scores? Sound off and let us know!
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