Dwayne Johnson speaks out on Moana's box office struggles and mixed reviews

In a recent interview, Dwayne Johnson, who portrays the character Maui in Disney's live-action adaptation of Moana, shared his thoughts on the film's mixed reception and box office struggles. Speaking to People, Johnson described the initial excitement over the positive reviews, which he recalled as "amazing." However, he admitted that the film's reception soon took a different turn, as is often the case in the entertainment industry.

Johnson was candid about the impact of the mixed reviews on him and his family, mentioning that he and his wife often discussed the film's performance late at night when their children were asleep.

Johnson emphasized that while the film's box office success or failure was not the most important aspect, he was proud that Moana represented Polynesian culture and provided a positive portrayal of his heritage for his children and others to see on the big screen. Despite the film holding a 31% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 88% audience score, the gap between critics and audiences appears to be significant, with a 57-point difference that highlights differing experiences.

The film's production budget was $250 million, and it has grossed around $266 million worldwide, leaving it with an estimated loss of at least $100 million by the end of its theatrical run. Disney's new CEO, Josh D'Amaro, addressed the film's underperformance during the company's earnings call, stating that even when their franchise films fail to meet expectations, investments in these core properties still benefit other parts of the company.

He also mentioned that Moana is expected to perform well on Disney+ streaming platform, building on the success of the original animated film, which remains one of Disney's most streamed movies.