Don’t be surprised if Disney officially announces Moana 3 soon, after raking in massive profits from Moana 2. Despite being somewhat haphazard in structure and presentation, the sequel to the 2016 animated classic managed to strike a chord with viewers, who have shown it immense love.
Surprising even seasoned box office pundits, Moana 2 has raked in over $960 million globally against its $150 million budget, cementing its status as another safe bet from Bob Iger. Given the movie’s ongoing performance, the sequel could soon join the prestigious $1 billion club. Additionally, a live-action Moana movie is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on July 10, 2026.
Dana Ledoux Miller, one of the sequel’s directors, acknowledged the audience’s love for the Moana franchise and its characters. This love has undoubtedly contributed to the sequel’s massive box-office success. When asked about the likelihood of Moana 3 by ScreenRant, Miller responded:
“I think that the fact that so many people have come out to see this movie means that there’s a lot of love for Moana. In a year and a half I have another film coming out, it’s the live-action Moana, so there’s a lot of Moana love to go around. And who knows what else is next.”
Miller’s reply, though cautious, should be taken as a positive sign. Given the sequel’s performance so far, despite its mixed critical reception, it has proven to be a massive hit with audiences. This shows that viewers love the franchise, which will likely benefit the forthcoming live-action project as well. As we know, Iger is not one to “let Moana go.” Therefore, we can likely expect an official announcement from Disney about Moana 3 soon—perhaps by mid or late this year. Who knows?
Directed by Miller, Jason Hand, and David Derrick Jr., Moana 2 features a star-studded cast, including Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Hualalai Chung, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Alan Tudyk, and more. Stay tuned for further updates.