‘Moana’ Makes Box Office Launch With $4.5M in Previews

Disney’s live-action Moana aims to make a splash as it begins its box office run, with the movie that stars Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia bringing back the franchise to theaters after its major success with Moana 2, the animated sequel to the studio’s original 2016 film.

Director Thomas Kail’s new feature collected $4.5 million from Thursday previews on 3,900 North American screens as it eyes a start in the $60 million to $65 million range. Moana focuses on the titular girl (Laga’aia) with exceptional navigation skills as she and demigod Maui (Johnson) attempt to stop a curse from targeting her island.

Moana will need to draw family audiences in the coming summer weeks, given that it carries a substantial $250 million production budget. The original Moana becomes the most recent Disney animated property to be given the live-action treatment, with the first film having hit theaters less than a decade ago…