Fifty-one delegates from the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad make up the pageant’s inaugural roster

The live-action ‘Moana’ claims the North American box-office lead, earning an estimated $43 million in sales

The Walt Disney Company’s live-action Moana debuted at No. 1 at the North American box office but fell short of expectations, earning an estimated $43 million in its opening weekend despite its reported $250 million production budget.

The film added $52 million from 50 international markets for a $95 million global opening, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

Disney placed high expectations on the franchise, following the success of the 2016 animated original, which remains the most-watched film on Disney+, and Moana 2, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide after its record-breaking Thanksgiving debut in 2024.

Directed by Thomas Kail, the remake reunites Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui and introduces Catherine Lagaʻaia in the title role. While critics praised Lagaʻaia’s performance, the film drew largely negative reviews, with many describing it as a near shot-for-shot remake of the animated original.

Disney’s live action remakes have delivered mixed box office results. Hits such as Lilo & Stitch, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast each surpassed $1 billion globally, while last year’s Snow White earned just $205 million worldwide. Moana’s opening closely matched Snow White’s $42.2 million domestic debut.

Universal’s Minions & Monsters finished second with $20.5 million, while Toy Story 5 placed third with $18.5 million.

Warner Bros.’ R-rated horror film Evil Dead Burn opened in fourth place with $13.7 million, below the opening weekends of the previous two installments. Angel Studios’ Young Washington ranked fifth with $6.4 million in its second weekend, while Olivia Wilde’s The Invite debuted in sixth with $5.7 million from 1,610 theaters.

Completing this week’s box office top 10 are Obsession ($3.8 million), Supergirl ($3.6 million), Disclosure Day ($3.2 million), and Backrooms ($1.5 million).