Moana Flopped: Why and What That Says About Movies Today

Well, there we have it. The remake of Moana is not only one of the most hated films of this summer’s lineup, but is also set to become one of its biggest losses. Considering how I was worried that audiences would eat it up like with most live-action remakes, I am sincerely relieved that even they recognized how shallow and wasteful the endeavor was from the start. However, I feel that there is a larger precedent this is setting regarding what people are watching in theaters. Back in the 2010s, any big studio film would make enough money on any big tentpole movie to cover whatever was put into it. Now, that number has dramatically slimmed, and I think the failure of this film and a few others highlight that trends are shifting as of late with movies.

To start, let’s state the obvious as to why this film flopped. It is a shot-for-shot remake of a film that isn’t even 10 years old yet. It looks cheap and washed out even by the standards of modern big-budget films. Not to mention that the fact that this is shot-for-shot puts it at a disadvantage since most families are going to be choosy about what they go see. Considering that both Toy Story and Minions came out before and Spider-Man will be coming later this month, there are far more enticing options to spend money on for younger audiences. Families will pick only a small number of films considering how expensive it is to see one as a group these days. Moana is a big name and has been consistently cited as one of the most-watched Disney films on their streaming service and in terms of overall exposure. Yet, the fact that the original has such easy access means that the parents who likely already took their kids to Toy Story will likely just throw on the original at home instead of paying to see this since the new one is basically the same thing. On an aside, I do have to commend Disney. Even with my doubts, Toy Story 5 was a very thoughtful and genuine film and something that does deserve all the success it is getting (even if I wish that more original films got this much attention, but I can’t be too picky). That Disney decided to release it and Moana so close together, with how wide, almost canyon-sized, the difference in artistic merit, quality, and passion the films exhibit is honestly hilarious.

The failure of Moana, though, follows the failure of a few other films this year, and I see an interesting trend following them. These films in question are The Mandalorian and Grogu, Masters of the Universe, and Supergirl. All three were set as tentpole releases for their studios, and all three have either flopped or underperformed. What ties these all together as well is the middling reaction they have received from both critics and audiences. I believe that this is a true turning point regarding franchises and films based on brands. Before, films like Suicide Squad and Transformers: Age of Extinction would make a ton of money despite the horrid reception they received. Back then, not only were people more willing to go to the theater, but the global audience for blockbusters and franchises was large as well. Today, not only have many franchises from the past decade continued to throw out new projects, but it’s a much different environment than before. After COVID and recent economic shifts, people have become choosy with what they go to see in a theater. Unless it’s a huge event or a really positively reviewed film, most tend to wait until streaming or digital to see a film since it is a relatively cheaper option.

There is also burnout with both franchises that are still going and with how many of them aren’t really trying as hard. Supergirl flopped mostly because it’s a film that’s simply mediocre, and we have had this type of superhero movie come out consistently over the past decade. Before, audiences would be fine going to an average comic book movie, but now, they have had their fill and want something far more substantial with this sub-genre. Unless you are Batman or Spider-Man, people need something more engaging to be done with superheroes to grab them. Star Wars has mostly stayed on streaming this decade due to mismanagement with the films and the push by studios for new digital platforms. As such, Disney didn’t consider that only focusing on characters from those shows for a movie wouldn’t create an issue from an audience standpoint since not everyone has seen said streaming media. They were so focused on brand consistency that they forgot that they neglected the broader audience. Plus, the film feeling slight and more like a season of a TV show compressed into a film didn’t help either. While it did make double its budget, I know that Disney considers it a disappointment given how high expectations are for their franchises even during this struggle period.  Masters of the Universe tells us that despite there being many nostalgic franchises, not every single one is remembered equally, and throwing as many as possible out there can only appeal to so many. This one in particular has been a brand that has little to no public presence outside of online jokes and minor nostalgia. Compare it to other 80s toy-based TV shows like Transformers or Ninja Turtles, and it’s night and day. As such, it’s not surprising that it bombed. Though, it has been doing well on Amazon Prime, which does show the audience preference for films they aren’t willing to pay for in theaters.

In my eyes, we are going to see more people willing to go to theaters for something worthwhile. That’s not to say that hype for familiar brands or other factors won’t still drive them. Michael and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie both got mixed reception, but also still crossed a billion. I feel that studios are stuck in this transition. They sat comfortably on their laurels last decade and thought they could ride off into the sunset with the same franchises forever. They forgot that the industry can change overnight, and while thankfully we aren’t entering an all-streaming future, we are seeing changes in audience habits. I think we are going to see more and more flops like these because Hollywood is slow and one-sided in reacting to things. They see something new and try to fit said new thing into the old system. Backrooms was a huge hit, but rather than recreating the circumstances by giving a young filmmaker with skills and an audience a chance to helm a big project, they are just digging for other internet horrors to try and copy what Backrooms did in broad strokes. Heck, even with their successes, they will still try to justify their old practices. Pixar got hit with layoffs recently despite both of their films this year being the only hits Disney has, and I can only assume it’s the sunk cost of their other projects or (lord help us) their push for AI that is dragging their successful divisions down with everything else.

People still love going to the movies. Despite all the claims and forced shift to an all-streaming future the studios want, people are still showing up. Frankly, I do believe that it is much harder than ever to explain why people go to certain movies over others than why they didn’t see another. Studios want to control so much regarding audience habits and what they watch, but the truth is that even if they manage to get a hold on something, things naturally change over time. Things won’t always be popular forever, and you can’t always predict what the next big thing will be. I do feel that the future of movies is going to be smaller in scale compared to the last decade, but I also feel it will be far more exciting than the cinematic universes and endless franchises and remakes that felt impossible to avoid beforehand. Moana seems like a turning point in a way. I’m not saying that we won’t see remakes still succeed, considering a second Lilo and Stitch one is being made, and I know the inevitable Frozen one will do crazy numbers. However, we are seemingly in a new period of audience taste in desires for the most part, and I feel that films with more passion, effort, and simply offering something new will be what people flock to.