Disney‘s live-action Moana has sailed into cinemas worldwide, but the highly anticipated remake is receiving a mixed response from critics despite a strong global rollout.
The film, starring Catherine Laga’aia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui, opened across major international markets over the weekend as Disney continued its strategy of reimagining animated classics in live-action.
Early reviews have been divided, with critics questioning whether the remake offers enough to justify revisiting the beloved 2016 animated film.
Even so, audience reactions have been noticeably warmer, with many praising the performances, music and visual spectacle.
The film is expected to post a solid global opening, although industry analysts say its box office performance will ultimately depend on family audiences and word-of-mouth in the coming weeks.
For Disney, Moana represents another major test for its live-action remake strategy, with the studio hoping the Polynesian adventure can match the commercial success of earlier adaptations while introducing the story to a new generation of moviegoers.