Wed Nov 27 17:42:08 UTC 2024: ## Moana 2 Shatters Box Office Records with Massive Preview Numbers

**Los Angeles, CA** – Disney’s *Moana 2* is making a splash at the box office, achieving record-breaking preview numbers ahead of its wide release on Wednesday. The animated sequel raked in a staggering $13.8 million in Tuesday previews alone, surpassing all previous records for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film and becoming the second-highest-grossing animated preview ever, trailing only Pixar’s *Incredibles 2*. This achievement is particularly impressive considering that only 48 percent of schools and 20 percent of colleges were closed on Tuesday.

The film also secured the top Tuesday pre-Thanksgiving preview gross of all time. Industry analysts predict a massive five-day opening weekend (Wednesday through Sunday) between $125 million and $135 million, potentially making it the biggest Thanksgiving opening and five-day gross ever. This would surpass the current record held by Disney’s *Frozen* ($93.6 million) and *Frozen II*’s five-day total of $125 million.

*Moana 2* isn’t the only film dominating the Thanksgiving box office. *Wicked* continued its strong performance, adding $16.6 million on Tuesday, while *Gladiator II* earned $6.7 million. The combined strength of these three films is poised to set a new record for overall five-day Thanksgiving revenue.

Despite mixed critical reviews (67 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the original’s 95 percent), audience reception has been overwhelmingly positive, boasting an 89 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and strong exit polls. The film reunites original voice actors Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, and features new songs from Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear.

*Moana 2*, originally conceived as a TV series, follows Moana on a new adventure after a call from her ancestors. Its box office success suggests that even less-than-stellar reviews won’t deter audiences eager to see the beloved character return to the big screen.

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