Thanksgiving may be months away, but audiences are already getting ready to feast on Moana 2.
A trailer for the movie was viewed by 178 million people in its first 24 hours this week, more than any other trailer in Pixar and Disney Animation Studios history. It’s especially good news for the Disney-owned company, which has endured a rough few years.
Box office pundits believe fellow Pixar title Inside Out 2, opening in theaters June 14, combined with Moana 2, will change the narrative regarding the storied animation company. (The Moana trailer will play before the upcoming sequel.) Inside Out 2 is tracking to open to $80 million-$85 million, although one service believes it will cross $90 million.
In terms of trailer viewership, the previous record for Pixar was Inside Out 2 (157 million). The previous best for Disney Animation was Frozen 2 (116 million). It also came in above Pixar’s Incredibles 2 (113 million).
Moana 2, which reunites voice stars Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, opens in theaters Nov. 27.
David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller directed the animated feature, which centers on Moana embarking on an unexpected adventure in long-lost waters after receiving a call from her ancestors. Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui.
The project was originally developed as a television series before being reworked as a theatrical sequel. Featuring new songs from Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Moana 2 counts Christina Chen and Yvett Merino as producers.
Disney and Johnson are also behind a live-action Moana remake from director Thomas Kail that’s set to open in theaters on July 10, 2026.
As a testament to Moana’s enduring popularity, the original film, which came out in 2016 and grossed north of $687 million globally, was the most streamed movie across all platforms in 2023, per Nielsen.
