Forget any bad buzz that there’s a funk at the box office, because it always boils down to product, as well as time and space. As we told you throughout the weekend, the live-action Moana was too close to Thanksgiving 2024’s Moana 2 on the calendar.

Moana, 2026. Directed by Thomas Kail. Starring Catherine Lagaʻaia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui, Frankie Adams, Jemaine Clement, Emma Puahi-Shapazian, and Amaya Masoli. SYNOPSIS: Moana

"It’s accidental erasure of an entire community who’s celebrating the ACTUAL point of this film being adapted to live action."

Disney, have you learned your lesson yet? Following the watering down of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney+ during Covid CEO Bob Chapek’s era, Bob Iger during his second regime promised a curated selection of big hits,

Much like the character she plays, Catherine Laga'aia isn't afraid of new waters. The 19-year-old stars as the titular role in Disney's new live-action Moana, a role she knows comes with plenty of expectations.