The weekend box office delivered a No. 1 finish for Disney as the live-action “Moana” opened with an estimated $43 million. Still, the debut was soft compared with many recent Disney live-action remakes and below the level expected from one of the studio’s biggest modern brands.
The July 10-12 frame also showed continued strength for family films. “Minions & Monsters” and “Toy Story 5” held second and third place, keeping family audiences at the center of the summer box office.
Weekend Box Office Led by Moana
“Moana” opened in 3,875 theaters and averaged more than $11,000 per location. That was enough to place it comfortably ahead of last weekend’s leader, “Minions & Monsters.”
However, the $43 million opening is a mixed result for Disney. The film won the weekend, but its launch was lower than many past live-action remakes from the studio.
The number also suggests some audience hesitation around remaking a film that remains recent and widely available. The original animated “Moana” was released in 2016 and continues to be a major streaming favorite.
Even with the softer start, “Moana” gives Disney another summer title. The studio already has “Toy Story 5” in theaters, which has passed $400 million domestically.
Minions and Toy Story Hold Strong
“Minions & Monsters” fell to second place with an estimated $20.5 million. The animated sequel now stands at about $108 million domestically after 12 days.
That total is solid, though the film has performed below the highest points of the “Despicable Me” franchise. Still, the Minions remain one of the most durable brands in family entertainment.
“Toy Story 5” placed third with about $18.5 million. The Pixar sequel continued its long run and crossed $403 million in North America.
The film’s staying power has been one of the summer’s biggest box office stories. It has kept drawing families even as new releases entered theaters.
Evil Dead Burn Opens in Fourth Place
The horror release “Evil Dead Burn” opened in fourth place with an estimated $13.7 million. The result gave theaters a different option from the family-heavy top three.
The film opened in just over 3,000 theaters. Its performance suggests steady interest from horror fans, though it did not break out as a major surprise.
Horror remains one of the most dependable theatrical genres. Lower production costs often allow these films to succeed even with modest openings.
The real test will come next weekend. Horror films can drop quickly if audience reactions are weak, but strong word of mouth can keep them alive.
Holdovers Round Out the Top 10
“Young Washington” landed in fifth place with about $6.4 million. The historical drama dropped sharply from its holiday opening, bringing its total to more than $33 million.
“The Invite” made a notable jump into sixth place with about $5.7 million after expanding to more theaters. Its weekend surge made it one of the frame’s brighter stories.
“Obsession” followed with $3.8 million and has now earned more than $253 million domestically. “Supergirl” took eighth place with about $3.5 million, bringing its total to about $66 million.
“Disclosure Day” and “Backrooms” completed the top 10. Both films continued adding to their domestic totals after several weeks in theaters.
What the Numbers Mean
This weekend box office shows that familiar family titles still lead the market. However, “Moana” also shows that name recognition alone does not guarantee a massive opening.
The film’s lower-than-expected start may reflect remake fatigue, competition from other family titles and mixed interest in revisiting a recent animated hit in live action.
Even so, the weekend gave theaters a clear winner and a varied top 10. With more major releases ahead, “Moana” will need strong word of mouth to turn its No. 1 debut into a longer summer run.