<a href="https://www.archyde.com/disney-releases-release-dates-for-the-mandalorian-grogu-toy-story-5-and-more/" title="Disney releases release dates for The Mandalorian & Grogu, Toy Story 5 and more”>Moana 2 Sails to Record-Breaking Box Office Opening
Disney’s highly anticipated animated sequel, Moana 2, made a splash at the box office this weekend, setting a new record for the studio’s biggest domestic animation debut of all time. The film captivated audiences with an impressive three-day weekend haul of $135.5 million and a five-day total of $221 million. This monumental achievement surpasses the previous record held by 2019’s Frozen II, which garnered a three-day total of $130.2 million and a five-day total of $163.8 million.
A Thanksgiving To Remember
Disney is also celebrating a series of domestic box office records achieved by Moana 2, including the biggest Thanksgiving weekend opening, biggest Thanksgiving debut, biggest Thanksgiving Day (with $28 million) and the strongest Black Friday performance ever, raking in a staggering $54.5 million.
While the studio claims the biggest five-day opening of all time, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s $204.6 million, it’s worth noting that this record doesn’t technically surpass the five-day opening of The Lion King remake, which grossed $243.2 million. This discrepancy stems from “Hollywood accounting” differences; The Lion King’s five-day opening span included Wednesday through Tuesday, whereas Moana 2’s and Super Mario’s covered Wednesday through Sunday.
A Triumph for Disney Animation
The success of Moana 2 comes as welcome news for Disney Animation Studios, providing a much-needed win after recent box office disappointments like Wish and Strange World. With its stellar opening, Moana 2’s three-day launch secures its place as the fifth-biggest opening for an animated film of all time. The only contenders to surpass this impressive feat are 2019’s The Lion King ($191.8 million), Incredibles 2 ($182.7 million), Inside Out 2 ($154.2 million), and The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($146.4 million).
Global Domination
The film’s success wasn’t limited to the domestic market; Moana 2 enjoyed a wave of international success as well. Disney reports a robust $165 million in international ticket sales, bringing this weekend’s global total to an impressive $386 million.
France emerged as the largest international territory, contributing a significant $18.8 million, making it the highest-grossing animated opening weekend of all time in France. Disney boasts that Moana 2 also achieved the second-highest animated opening weekends of all time in Italy and Brazil.
Record-Breaking Regions
In addition to tremendous success in France, Moana 2 achieved its best-ever launch across the Latin America region, in addition to 30 individual global markets, including France, Italy, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. The top international performers, following France, were the U.K. ($15.5 million), Mexico ($11.1 million), Germany ($10.5 million), Italy ($9.3 million), South Korea ($9.1 million), Australia ($8.3 million), Brazil ($7.5 million), China ($6.5 million), and Spain ($5.5 million).
What factors contributed to the box office success of “Moana 2”?
## Moana 2 Sails to Record-Breaking Box Office Opening
**Host:** Joining us today is Alex Reed, film critic and box office analyst. Welcome to the show, Alex Reed!
**Alex Reed:** Thanks for having me.
**Host:** This Thanksgiving weekend, Disney has a lot to be thankful for thanks to the incredible success of “Moana 2.” It’s shattered records left and right. Can you tell us more about these record-breaking numbers?
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely! “Moana 2” has truly made a splash. With a phenomenal five-day total of $221 million domestically, it’s now the biggest domestic animation debut of all time for Disney, surpassing even the likes of “Frozen II” [ [1](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/moana-2-thanksgiving-box-office-record-rcna182346) ].
**Host:** That’s incredible! And it seems Thanksgiving weekend played a major role in this success.
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely. “Moana 2” dominated the holiday weekend, setting records for the biggest Thanksgiving weekend opening, the biggest Thanksgiving Day ever, and the highest Black Friday performance, raking in a staggering $54.5 million on that day alone.
**Host:** Disney is claiming this is the biggest five-day opening of all time, but there seems to be some debate about that.
**Alex Reed:** That’s right. While “Moana 2” has outsold “The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s” $204.6 million five-day opening, “The Lion King” remake technically holds the record with $243.2 million. The difference boils down to “Hollywood accounting,” as The Lion King’s five-day opening spanned Wednesday through Tuesday, while ”Moana 2″ and “Super Mario” covered Wednesday through Sunday.
**Host:** So, regardless of technicalities, “Moana 2″ is undoubtedly a massive success for Disney Animation. What do you attribute this success to?
**Alex Reed:** It’s a combination of factors. “Moana” was already a beloved film, and audiences were eager for a sequel. The stunning animation, catchy music, and compelling story continue to resonate with viewers, particularly families. Plus, the timing, launching during the Thanksgiving holiday, played a crucial role in attracting large crowds.
**Host:** Well, it certainly looks like Disney has another hit on its hands. Thank you so much for your insights, Alex Reed!
**Alex Reed:** You’re welcome. It was a pleasure.
