Disney’s live-action Moana has officially arrived in theaters, but its critical reception has quickly become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the film.
The 2026 adaptation of the beloved animated classic has debuted with a 36% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lowest-rated Disney live-action remakes to date. The score also places it below 2025’s Snow White, another remake that struggled with critics despite attracting widespread attention.
The disappointing reviews have reignited the ongoing debate over Disney’s strategy of remaking its animated classics into live-action films. While many of these projects have performed well commercially, critical reception has often been mixed, and Moana appears to be facing an even tougher start.
Moana joins Disney’s lowest-rated live-action remakes
According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Moana currently holds a 36% critics’ score. Among Disney’s modern live-action remakes, only Pinocchio (2022), which sits at 29%, has received a lower rating.
The score also falls behind other Disney remakes such as Aladdin, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and Lilo & Stitch. Most notably, it trails the live-action Snow White, which was widely criticized upon release but still earned a higher critics’ rating than Moana.
Although Rotten Tomatoes scores can change as additional reviews are published, the film’s debut has placed it among the studio’s weakest-reviewed remakes in recent years.
Despite the negative reviews, Disney’s live-action remakes have historically attracted strong audiences at the global box office. Films such as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin became major commercial successes despite receiving mixed critical responses.
That history makes it too early to predict whether Moana will follow the same pattern or whether its low review scores will discourage moviegoers. Industry observers are expected to watch its opening weekend closely to determine whether audience interest outweighs the critical reception.
For now, Moana has earned the distinction of becoming one of Disney’s worst-reviewed live-action remakes, adding fresh scrutiny to the studio’s long-running remake strategy.
