Disney's live action adaptation of Moana earned $4.5 million from showings that began at 2:00 PM on Thursday. This is considered a significant indicator of the film's box office performance at the start. In comparison to previous Disney releases, Lightyear earned $5.2 million, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire made $4.7 million, and Pokemon Detective Pikachu garnered $5.7 million in preview revenue.

Initial projections for the film were around $60 million earlier this week, but theater owners have since lowered that figure to $40 million. This has raised major concerns for Dwayne Johnson's latest film. With major successes in the family film market like Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters, Moana's return to theaters so soon may diminish audience interest.

Critics have given this live action version directed by Thomas Kail a low score of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes. This falls below the scores of Rachel Zegler's Snow White at 39%, Will Smith's Aladdin at 57%, and Dumbo at 46%. Currently, the audience score has not yet been released, but the negative comments from critics could impact the film's box office success.

In conclusion, Moana's box office performance will shape up depending on audience numbers in the coming days. The film's release so soon after the animated version raises questions about whether it will attract viewers.