AUCKLAND, Today: Moana 2 made waves at the box office this weekend, becoming not just one of 2024’s biggest films, but also one of the top animated films of all time.
In New Zealand, the film raked in $3.1 million during its Wednesday-to-Sunday opening weekend, including preview screenings.
The record-breaking box office earnings mark the largest opening for an animated film ever, smashing the 20-year record previously held by Shrek 2. This opening weekend performance is three times larger than the debut of the original Moanain 2016.
The film amassed 153,000 admissions, skewing 60% female, and 46% of the total audience was delivered from the P25-54 demographic. 8,500 of the total admissions also came from the Moana 2 Reo Māori version, which was the first time in history an animated film has been released in English and local Indigenous language at the same time.
“Moana 2’s record-breaking opening as the highest-grossing animated film ever in New Zealand highlights its broad appeal and the strong demand for family content.” – Matt Tremain
Moana 2’s international opening has also shattered records worldwide, grossing an impressive $386 million.
“Moana 2’s record-breaking opening as the highest-grossing animated film ever in New Zealand highlights its broad appeal and the strong demand for family content,” said Matt Tremain, Sales Director of Val Morgan Cinema New Zealand.
Moviegoers had no shortage of choice over the weekend, as Gladiator II, Wicked, and Moana 2 dominated the box office. Together, the films drove the second-highest weekend admissions result of 2024, behind the opening weekend of Inside Out 2.
Tremain added, “This weekend is just the start of what we’re expecting to be a huge summer of cinema, with Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also releasing in just a few weeks. There is simply no better time for brands to be advertising in cinema.”
Looking ahead to next year, Paddington in Peru, We Live in Time, Captain America: Brave New World, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Sinners and the live-action adaptation Snow White are all releasing between January to March.
Source: CintTAM 2024.
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