Moana 2 is now streaming on Disney+ following its theatrical release last Thanksgiving. Moana 2‘s cast is 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 тιтular character return for another adventure alongside the demigod Maui. It is an exciting adventure, and by Moana 2‘s ending, the тιтular character is in a very different place.

Moana 2 expands on the gods and demigods in the world of Moana, 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 the highest-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 Mᴀssive Success For Disney

Moana 2 was initially released in theaters on November 27, 2024, 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 (via Box Office Mojo). After the long holiday weekend, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline reported that Moana 2 generated 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, as Moana 2 continued 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 for Moana 2 comes 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 make Moana 2 the fourth highest-grossing film of 2024, but they also make Moana 2 one of the highest-grossing animated films and 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 well Moana 2 performed 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 2 condensed some of the storylines from 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 first Moana film. While the movie does feel like it was put together from what was supposed to be a TV show, it is obvious that Moana 2 did work.

Moana 2 Is Guaranteed To Be A Huge Success For Disney Once Again

Moana 2 Will Surely Find Renewed Success On Disney+

Now that Moana 2 is available on Disney+ alongside its predecessor, it is guaranteed to bring more success to Disney. As of December 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that the original Moana had become the most-streamed movie of all time, with over 1 billion hours watched. When combined with its original theatrical earnings, the fact that Moana has maintained its popularity over eight years after being released is a very impressive feat. However, given how much more Moana 2 earned at the box office, it has the potential to surpᴀss the original in streaming numbers.

Beyond comparing Moana 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 2 is 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.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, The Wall Street Journal