It’s surprising Disney made a live-action version of Moana before Frozen, but there’s a logical reason. Disney’s live-action remakes have had varying degrees of success. While films like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast did well, others like The Lion King, Pinocchio (2022), and Dumbo were more controversial. Plus, some viewers feel Disney should focus on reviving lesser-known franchises, such as the Race to Witch Mountain films, instead of constantly revisiting its biggest hits.
As a huge Disney fan, I was really surprised to hear that the live-action Moana remake is coming out in 2026 – even before a live-action Frozen! Moana did incredibly well, earning over $680 million globally, but Frozen was a massive hit, making a staggering $1.28 billion just three years prior. While Moana 2 came close to that success with over $1 billion at the box office in 2024, Frozen 2 absolutely smashed records in 2019, bringing in a whopping $1.453 billion. It just feels a little unexpected that Moana is getting the live-action treatment first.
Moana’s Success On Disney+ Was More Unprecedented Than Frozen’s Franchise Trajectory
Given the recent financial figures, it’s surprising that a live-action version of Moana is coming out before a live-action Frozen film. However, there’s a good reason for this decision. Moana unexpectedly became incredibly popular on Disney+, far exceeding expectations after its initial success in theaters. This surge in popularity on the streaming platform significantly boosted the sequel’s potential, and actually led Disney to develop Moana 2 instead of the previously planned television series.
The Frozen movies are incredibly popular, and Disney always planned to continue the series with more films. While a live-action remake is likely to happen eventually, the ongoing success of Frozen means there’s no pressure to make it quickly. Many fans would prefer to see Frozen 3 with Anna and Elsa before a live-action version of the first film, and Disney is confident that the franchise will remain profitable no matter what direction they take it in next.
Moana’s Live-Action Remake Is Designed To Capitalise On Its Disney+ Popularity
Given its success on Disney+, it’s understandable that the plans for a Moana sequel changed. Frozen remained consistently popular as a series, so Disney took a cautious approach with it. Originally, Moana 2 was intended as a TV show, but after the first Moana movie became Disney+’s most-watched film – and racked up over a million hours of streaming time – Disney decided to release the sequel in theaters.
As a huge Disney fan, it’s interesting to me that Frozen doesn’t seem to be facing the same pressure for a live-action remake as some other films. Unlike those others, Frozen just keeps being incredibly popular – Frozen 2 actually did better than the original, even after six years! So, when I heard Disney was doing a live-action Moana before another Frozen film, it actually made a lot of sense. They don’t need to rush Frozen because it’s still doing so well on its own.
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2026-05-26 23:44