Moana of Motunui is back in the waters and is treading high tides and the box office numbers are too reflecting the same, thanks to a strong return from the leads Moana, voiced once again by Auli’i Cravalho, and the demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson.
Thanks to the five-day-long weekend owing to Thanksgiving, ticket sales soared for recent releases like Wicked, Gladiator 2 and Moana 2. The sequel to the adventure film earned over $221 million in just five days which included $135.3 million sales during the three-day weekend. The film made a strong impression overseas with $165.3 million and together, it collected and worldwide haul of $386.3 million.
Upon its release on November 29, the film earned mixed to positive reviews. Our CE review of the film read, "While Moana 2 treads familiar waters, its rich visuals and themes of female empowerment make it a memorable voyage, proving that progress isn’t just in the destination but in the journey."
Moana 2 also features returning stars Rachel House (Moana’s grandma, Tala), Temuera Morrison (Moana’s father, Chief Tui), and Nicole Scherzinger (Moana’s mother, Sina), as well as the voices of Hualālai Chung, David Fane, and Rose Matafeo as Moana’s new crew members, Moni, Kele, and Loto, respectively. Awhimai Fraser voices the mysterious new character Matangi; Gerald Ramsey plays Moana’s ancestor, Tautai Vasa; and Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda lends her voice to Moana’s adoring and adorable little sister, Simea.
Moana 2 is directed by David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino. The film's music is by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, as well as Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, who worked on the first film. Jared Bush and Miller had written the film, which was executive-produced by Jennifer Lee, Bush, and Johnson.