{
  "id": 348472,
  "title": "Dwayne Johnson speaks out on Moana's box office struggles and mixed reviews",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/dwayne-johnson-speaks-out-on-moanas-box-office-struggles-and-mixed",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-09T05:43:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/dwayne-johnson-speaks-out-on-moanas-box-office-struggles-and-mixed-reviews-1.500635152"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nJohnson 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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Disney's live-action Moana opened on 10 July and has taken around $266 million worldwide against a production budget of $250 million and an estimated $120 million in marketing. Variety reports the film could lose at least $100 million over its theatrical run. Dwayne Johnson, who plays Maui in live action after voicing him in the two animated films, has now spoken about it publicly for the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Dwayne Johnson expressed mixed feelings about Moana's box office performance and reviews.",
    "He and his wife discussed the film's reception late at night with their children asleep."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Dwayne Johnson's comments on Moana's mixed reception highlight the tension between critical and audience response, and underscore Disney's strategy of valuing franchise investments beyond box office performance.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}