Every Moana Movie, Ranked Worst to Best

After a decade of mining its animated vault for live-action remakes (Aladdin, Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and more), Disney has reached one of its most recent hits. The live-action Moana sails into theaters on July 10, 2026, arriving just months shy of the original’s tenth anniversary.

Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Maui in the animated movies, takes on the live-action role, while newcomer Catherine Laga’aia leads the voyage as the central character. Even though the live-action movie isn’t out yet, the early reactions and RT score of the movie have made its spot on this list fairly easy to call. Here’s every Moana movie ranked from worst to best.

3 Moana (2026) Is Just Another Unnecessary Live-Action Remake

For the live-action Moana, the problems started long before its opening night. The animated Moana is barely ten years old, making it one of the shortest gaps ever between a Disney original and its remake. With Moana 2 already a billion-dollar hit and a third animated film in development, plenty of fans saw no reason for a near-identical retelling.

The reported $200 million-plus budget only sharpened the skepticism, since the movie would need to clear roughly $500 million worldwide just to break even. According to box office tracking sources, the movie has strong awareness (80%) but weak interest (49%), with opening-weekend projections stuck in the $45-70 million range.

There is also tight competition from Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters, making it harder for the family audience to choose this movie. Moreover, Johnson’s Maui, with his much-mocked wig, became a punchline once the trailer dropped. The reviews of the movie are savage, too.

SlashFilm called it “a flat, lifeless, artificial rehash”, while The Independent complained that “Dwayne Johnson’s terrible wig is just one low point of a film.” In our review of Moana, FW’s Cole Groth called it “a visually dreary, pointlessly faithful remake”. The remake opened with a dismal 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, among the lowest of any Disney live-action remake.

2 Moana 2 Wins Big at the Box Office But Isn’t As Inspired as the First

Commercially, the 2024 sequel was a major win for the franchise. Moana 2 sailed past $1 billion worldwide, comfortably outgrossing the original’s $684.3 million. Disney’s gamble of turning a planned streaming series into a theatrical release paid off spectacularly (via Variety).

However, the crowd-pleasing movie wasn’t as creatively brilliant as its predecessor. The sequel never quite recaptured the magic of the 2016 movie. While the animation was gorgeous and the adventure moves at a brisk pace, the emotional core felt thinner this time.

The songs were less indelible without Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the story felt more like a forcefully built follow-up than a necessary one. Much of it holds up against the first film, yet the overall experience lacks the sense of discovery that powered the original. It was an entertaining journey, but that creative gap ranks it below its prequel.

1 Moana (2016) Is One of Disney’s Best Animated Adventures

A still from Moana | Credits: Walt Disney Animation Studios

Nearly a decade on, the film that started it all remains untouchable. The movie’s biggest asset is the strength of its heroine and her journey to self-discovery. Moana is refreshingly ordinary in the best way. She is athletic and self-assured without vanity, and torn between the pull of home and the pull of the horizon.

She never waits to be rescued, and she listens to her own dreams and answers them. The brilliant soundtrack blends English and Samoan, with soaring performances. The animation is staggering, giving us beautiful visuals of an entire living sea, flowing hair, and the sun-drenched South Pacific.

It is a warm, witty, and visually dazzling adventure that still feels timeless. It’s no wonder that fans are skeptical about the live-action movie outdoing this modern classic.

What do you think of the Moana live-action remake? Let us know in the comments below!

The live-action movie hits theaters on July 10, 2026. The animated movies are available for streaming on Disney+.