Moana 2is now streaming on Disney+ following its theatrical release last Thanksgiving.Moana 2’s castis led by Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, who reprise their roles as Moana and Maui from the 2016 film. The sequel, which was originally meant to be a TV show, sees the beloved titular character return for another adventure alongside the demigod Maui. It is an exciting adventure, and byMoana 2’s ending, the titular character is in a very different place.
Moana 2expands on the gods and demigods inthe world ofMoana, allowing the series to continue to explore some of the many interesting aspects of Polynesian mythology and history with a story that is fun for the whole family. Unsurprisingly, the Disney sequel became one of thehighest-grossing movies of 2024, and a live-action addition to the franchise is already in the works. However, before its successful theatrical run,Moana 2’s original release plan and story looked very different.
Moana 2 Is Now Streaming On Disney+ After Its Wildly Successful Theatrical Release
Moana 2 Was a Massive Success For Disney
Moana 2was initially released in theaters on June 13, 2025, and it was an immediate hit for Disney. During its opening weekend,Moana 2’s domestic box office earnings totaled nearly $139.8 million, with international openings adding even more to that number (viaBox Office Mojo). After the long holiday weekend,Deadlinereported thatMoana 2generated an impressive $225.2 million domestically. This number alone was a Thanksgiving weekend record and less than $25 million below the domestic gross of the first film, giving the movie a successful start.
However, that was not the end, asMoana 2continued to perform well at the box office at the beginning of December. The film maintained its top spot at the box office for several weeks before finally losing it in its fourth weekend. The current domestic total forMoana 2comes to $459.9 million, and the international gross comes to $596.5 million,for a grand total of $1.05 billion. Not only do these numbers makeMoana 2the fourth highest-grossing film of 2024, but they also makeMoana 2one of thehighest-grossing animated filmsand highest-grossing sequels ever.
Moana 2’s Disney+ Release Comes One Year After Disney Completely Changed Its Status
The Moana Sequel Was Originally Planned As a TV Series
Given how wellMoana 2performed at the box office, it is almost unbelievable to think that Disney had originally planned for the sequel to be released not as a movie but as a series on Disney+. As part of a larger strategy to have as much original content on Disney+ from the company’s biggest IPs,Moana’s sequel was meant to be a TV show, which was in production until 2024. However,in February 2024, Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, announced that the project was being transitioned into a movie instead.
Because so much work had already been done on developing the series,Moana 2condensed some of the storylinesfrom the show into the length of a feature film. The animation was then done after the format change had been announced. Disney’s change from a TV show to a movie made sense given the potential to repeat the theatrical success of the firstMoanafilm. While the movie does feel like it was put together from what was supposed to be a TV show, it is obvious thatMoana 2did work.
Moana 2 Is Guaranteed To Be A Huge Success For Disney Once Again
Moana 2 Will Surely Find Renewed Success On Disney+
Now thatMoana 2is available on Disney+ alongside its predecessor, it is guaranteed to bring more success to Disney. As of December 2024,The Wall Street Journalreported that the originalMoanahad become the most-streamed movie of all time, with over 1 billion hours watched. When combined with its original theatrical earnings, the fact thatMoanahas maintained its popularity over eight years after being released is a very impressive feat. However,given how much moreMoana 2earned at the box office, it has the potential to surpass the original in streaming numbers.
All 7 Moana 2 Deleted Scenes Explained
There are seven Moana 2 deleted scenes that reveal alternate storylines, new creatures, and emotional moments left on the cutting room floor!
Beyond comparingMoana 2’s box office success to the original film, the franchise’s future looks bright. There will be a lot of demand coming both from audiences who have previously seen the film and from those watching for the first time. Animated movies are often successful in the long term, thanks to younger audiences' desire to rewatch their favorite movies as well as new people discovering the films every day.Moana 2is likely to receive the same long-term popularity that will see audiences revisiting the film throughout the years, especially with the live-action version coming up.
