Disney’s live-action Moana has sailed to the top of the Disney+ charts around the world, according to streaming tracker FlixPatrol. The 2026 remake, starring Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui and newcomer Catherine Lagaสปaia as Moana, reached the No. 1 position on the worldwide Disney+ movie chart on October 31, 2026, ahead of seasonal Halloween titles like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus. The film’s streaming victory comes after a theatrical run that fell short of Disney’s financial expectations, making its Disney+ performance a notable turnaround for the big-budget remake.
A Box Office Disappointment Finds New Life on Streaming
The live-action Moana arrived in theaters on July 10, 2026, carrying a reported production budget of $250 million . The film pulled in approximately $323.8 million at the worldwide box office, a figure that looks respectable on paper but fell well below the returns needed to cover production and marketing costs . For comparison, the original 2016 animated Moana earned nearly $690 million worldwide, while the 2024 animated sequel Moana 2 crossed the $1 billion mark .
Critics were largely unkind to the remake. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a critics’ score in the low 30s, with multiple outlets reporting a 31% to 33% Tomatometer rating . Audience response told a different story. The film earned an 87% to 88% audience score and an A- CinemaScore from opening-night moviegoers .
That gap between critic and audience opinion did not save the film’s theatrical reputation. Entertainment outlets labeled it one of the year’s bigger box office letdowns, especially given the franchise’s history of success. The conversation around the film shifted sharply when it landed on Disney+.
How Moana Topped the Worldwide Disney+ Chart
Disney+ subscribers got their first chance to stream the live-action Moana on October 21, 2026 . The film had already been available through digital purchase since early September and on Blu-ray and DVD since October 6, but the Disney+ debut opened it up to the platform’s massive subscriber base .
The response was quick. By October 23, Moana had climbed to No. 1 on the Disney+ movie chart in the United States, according to FlixPatrol data . In the days that followed, it expanded its reach. Reports from multiple international outlets placed the film at No. 1 in dozens of countries, with some tracking 71 countries and territories shortly after its streaming debut .
By October 31, the film sat at the top of FlixPatrol’s worldwide Disney+ movie chart, followed by Coco at No. 2 and The Nightmare Before Christmas at No. 3 . The timing stood out because Halloween is typically a period when Disney+ users gravitate toward spooky and seasonal content. Subscribers chose a tropical adventure over the platform’s reliable Halloween library.
The film’s performance also lifted the entire franchise on Disney+. The 2024 sequel Moana 2 ranked No. 5 worldwide on the same chart, while the original 2016 animated Moana held No. 6 . Three films from the same franchise occupied spots in the global top 10 at the same time.
The Halloween Titles Left Behind
The live-action Moana did not just edge out one or two seasonal titles. It moved ahead of several films that have become Halloween staples on Disney+.
The Nightmare Before Christmas, a Tim Burton-produced stop-motion favorite that bridges Halloween and Christmas, landed at No. 3 on the worldwide chart . Hocus Pocus, the 1993 witch comedy that has become a yearly viewing tradition for many families, sat at No. 6 . Home Alone, another film that sees heavy viewing during the holiday season, held No. 7 .
In the United States, the list of titles behind Moana included Halloweentown, Edward Scissorhands, and Lilo & Stitch, according to FlixPatrol data cited by multiple outlets . The film’s ability to outpace these titles during the peak of Halloween week underlined how strong the demand for the Moana franchise remains, even when critics reject a new installment.
Dwayne Johnson’s Maui Returns in Live Action
Dwayne Johnson first voiced Maui in the 2016 animated Moana. He returned to the role for Moana 2 in 2024 and stepped in front of the camera for the live-action remake . The film also credits Johnson as one of its producers, alongside Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Beau Flynn, and Lin-Manuel Miranda .
The live-action Moana was directed by Thomas Kail, best known for his work on Hamilton . Catherine Lagaสปaia, a 19-year-old Samoan Australian actress, made her feature film debut as Moana . The cast also includes John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen, and Jemaine Clement, who returned as the voice of Tamatoa .
Auliสปi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in both animated films, did not appear in the live-action remake. She served as an executive producer and contributed to a new song, “Along the Way,” which features vocals from both Cravalho and Lagaสปaia .
What Critics and Audiences Said
The divide between professional reviews and audience reactions shaped the conversation around the film from its opening weekend. Critics described the remake as a largely faithful retelling that struggled to justify its existence less than a decade after the original animated film . Some reviews pointed to the film’s heavy use of digital environments and its close adherence to the 2016 story.
Audiences were more forgiving. The A- CinemaScore suggested that families who bought tickets left satisfied . The 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reflected a similar pattern: viewers who wanted a live-action version of a story they already loved generally got what they came for .
Dwayne Johnson addressed the mixed reception in interviews following the film’s theatrical release. Speaking with People, he recalled the early reviews and the way the conversation shifted.
“Our first two reviews came out. I’ll never forget it. They were amazing. I was like, ‘Wow.’ [Then] it went another way,” Johnson said .
He added a candid assessment of the film business.
“If you love it, great. If you don’t, no problem,” he said .
Johnson also pointed to the cultural significance of the project, noting that his children could see Polynesian representation on a major screen.
“The challenge was, ‘Okay, let’s remember, though. What’s going to be beyond this opening weekend?’” he explained .
The Moana Franchise’s Streaming Power
The live-action remake’s Disney+ success did not happen in a vacuum. The Moana franchise has become one of Disney’s most dependable performers on streaming. The original 2016 animated film has accumulated more than 1.5 billion hours of viewing on Disney+ and is regularly cited as the most-streamed movie in the platform’s history . Nielsen data reported that Moana drew 37.7 billion minutes of watch time between 2020 and 2025 .
Moana 2 continued that pattern after its 2024 theatrical release and subsequent Disney+ arrival. The sequel ranked among the platform’s most-watched films and remained in the top five during the live-action remake’s chart run .
The live-action Moana benefited from that built-in audience. Subscribers who may have skipped the film in theaters had a reason to click play at home, and the familiarity of the story and songs lowered the barrier for families looking for something new to watch together. The film’s PG rating and 1-hour, 55-minute runtime made it an easy choice for household viewing .
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Where to Watch Moana (2026)
The live-action Moana is now streaming exclusively on Disney+ in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and other markets where the service is available. The film debuted on the platform on October 21, 2026 . It is also available for digital purchase and on Blu-ray and DVD .
Also Read: Dwayne Johnson Responds to Moana Criticism: โIf You Donโt Love It, No Problemโ
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