Dwayne Johnson is staying calm despite the harsh reviews surrounding the live-action Moana remake, telling PEOPLE that criticism is simply part of working in the entertainment industry.
“That’s just the way it goes because we’re in this business,” Johnson said while addressing the movie’s 31% Rotten Tomatoes score, which places it among Disney’s lowest-rated live-action adaptations in recent years.
The actor recalled how the initial reactions started out positively before shifting. “Our first two reviews came out. I’ll never forget it … They were amazing. I was like, ‘Wow,'” he said. However, he noted that the reviews later went “another way,” adding with a laugh that it was something that “sometimes happens.”
Johnson and his wife, Lauren Hashian, discussed the response privately at home. “We had a lot of these conversations at home, at the kitchen island late at night when the babies are asleep,” he shared. “The challenge was, ‘Okay, let’s remember, though. What’s going to be beyond this opening weekend? Let’s remember what’s happening right now and the noise that’s happening.'”
The actor also emphasized that opinions on art will always differ. “If you love it, great. If you don’t, no problem,” he said.
For Johnson, the most meaningful part of the project was its Polynesian representation. “Because of me and our kids who can now look at the big screen and go, ‘That’s us for the first time on a big screen. That’s us up there. How cool is that?'” said Johnson, whose mother is Samoan. He explained that authentic Polynesian culture and representation have always been “the heart of the project.”
The live-action Moana faced challenges at the box office from the beginning. The film opened with $43 million domestically, falling below Disney’s expected target of more than $60 million and early outside projections of $75 million. With a reported production budget of $250 million and an additional $120 million spent on marketing, the movie’s estimated $264 million worldwide earnings reportedly left it facing significant losses. Variety projected the theatrical release could lose at least $100 million.
During Disney’s August 5 earnings call, new CEO Josh D’Amaro addressed the film’s performance, acknowledging the disappointment while highlighting the broader value of major franchises.
“Even when our franchise films don’t meet our box office expectations, as with the ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ and the live-action ‘Moana,’ our investments in these core properties fuel other parts of our company,” D’Amaro said.
He also noted that the film is expected to perform strongly on Disney+, pointing out that the original Moana remains one of the most-streamed movies of all time.
