Moana doesn't actually go that far at the weekend box office

Michael, meanwhile, became the first biopic to gross $1 billion.

By Drew Gillis  |  July 13, 2026 | 2:26pm
Image via Disney
Film News Weekend Box Office
Moana doesn't actually go that far at the weekend box office

Disney’s live-action/CGI remake of Moana did open on top of the box office this weekend, but there is still a question of how far it’ll go. Based on its $43 million domestic opening, the answer seems to be: Not far enough. According to Deadline, even with a $95 million opening gross, Moana is still likely to lose up to $125 million in theaters. Of all the live-action Disney remakes, Moana is by far the newest source material. The only other live-action remake of a film originally released in the 2000s was Lilo And Stitch, which was remade last year 23 years after its first opening and grossed over $1 billion. The animated Moana premiered only 10 years ago, so it’s hard to imagine too many people with childhood nostalgia for the movie have children of their own to take back to the theater. Also not helping: The movie’s quality. 

But even if Moana is not going to make $1 billion any time soon, a different movie crossed that threshold this weekend. Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic that omits the last 21 years of his life for no reason at all, officially reached a billion-dollar gross this weekend, becoming the first biopic to do so, according to The Wrap. 

This week’s other biggest new release, Evil Dead Burn, opened at number four, taking in $13.7 million domestically but placing behind both Minions & Monsters and Toy Story 5. The Invite, the third directorial feature from Olivia Wilde, also expanded into more than 1,500 new theaters this weekend, coming in ahead of Obsession but just behind Young Washington. Gail Daughtry And The Celebrity Sex Pass, the new movie from director David Wain, failed to crack the top ten of the weekend, earning less than $1 million despite opening in 1,000 theaters. 

The whole top ten is listed below, courtesy of Box Office Mojo. 

  1. 1. Moana
  2. 2. Minions & Monsters
  3. 3. Toy Story 5
  4. 4. Evil Dead Burn
  5. 5. Young Washington
  6. 6. The Invite
  7. 7. Obsession
  8. 8. Supergirl
  9. 9. Disclosure Day
  10. 10. Backrooms

 
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