Moana: Disney’s ‘dismal’ live-action remake panned by critics

The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin, external was also not a fan – writing that it “could have been made by a ChatGPT prompt”.

Giving the film two stars, he said there “is barely a moment in it which feels as if it couldn’t have been achieved by typing: ‘What if this scene from Moana was remade in live action?’ into a prompt box”.

Positive reviews were relatively rare, but there was one from the Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney, external, who described it as “captivating family entertainment that deserves to find an audience – brimming with visual interest, vibrant color, gorgeous design elements and alluring tropical settings”.

The script has been adapted by the original screenwriter Jared Bush, with the music from Lin-Manuel Miranda remaining too while Hamilton stage director Thomas Kail makes his film debut.

In the past 15 years there have been more than 20 live-action remakes of Disney classics – with varying levels of success.

In 2023, The Little Mermaid was not a box office hit, but the corporation bounced back in 2024 with Mufasa: The Lion King.

Then last year Disney lost $170m with its Snow White live-action remake, but quickly recouped costs a couple of months later when live-action Lilo & Stitch became one of the biggest films of the year, making $1bn.