Dwayne Johnson Addresses Backlash Over Live-Action Moana Remake
Dwayne Johnson responded to the negative reviews and poor box office performance of Disney's live-action Moana remake. He shared his thoughts on the criticism and the film's reception.
The live-action Moana holds a stark divide between critical and audience reception, with a 31% critic score versus an 88% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. IGN's own review gave it a 6/10. Financially, the film opened to $95 million globally against a $250 million budget, accumulating only $261 million by its fourth weekend.
Johnson emphasized that the project's core purpose was cultural representation, noting that Polynesian children can now see themselves on screen. His wife, Lauren Hashian, echoed this sentiment regarding universal themes of family. Despite the underperformance compared to the Lilo & Stitch remake, Disney continues its live-action slate, with Tangled currently in production. Johnson also dismissed criticism regarding his Maui wig.
The stark gap between critic and audience scores could signal a growing disconnect between professional reviewers and general moviegoers. The film's financial underperformance may prompt studios to reconsider the profitability of high-budget live-action adaptations, potentially slowing the remake pipeline. Conversely, Johnson's emphasis on cultural representation could influence how future projects prioritize authentic storytelling over box office metrics, though the commercial failure might temper such ambitions.