Disney's live-action Moana hit theaters Friday, and the knives are already out. Rough reviews. Soft previews. The internet is doing what the internet does.
But hold on. Because while everyone piles on, one player in this whole saga is counting money and smiling.
Hawai'i.
The $39 Million Nobody Saw Coming
Here's the number making waves. According to Aloha State Daily, the live-action Moana generated an estimated $39 million in economic impact for Hawai'i. That figure comes from Georja Skinner, the chief officer of the creative industries division at the state's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. In other words, straight from the top.
The production only filmed for nine days on O'ahu. Nine days. Thirty-nine million dollars. Do the math on that daily rate.
The cash spread everywhere. Labor. Vendors. Contractors. Transportation. If it touched the production, it got a piece.
560 Locals Got the Call
The hiring sheet is where this gets real. The production employed 560 Hawai'i residents plus 185 out-of-state workers across 39 job categories. Actors and stunt performers, sure. But also accountants, special effects crews, production office staff, drivers, and on-set teachers.
Skinner says the benefits go beyond the paychecks, with locals gaining hands-on experience from a major production that feeds Hawai'i's own creative economy down the line. Translation: Disney trained the state's next generation of film workers and paid for the privilege.
The Governor Moved Fast
Hawai'i clearly wants an encore. This week, Governor Josh Green signed SB 2580, a new law built to lure more productions to the islands.
The pitch to Hollywood: bigger tax credits if 80 percent of hires are local, credits that now cover streaming projects instead of just movies and TV, and a credit cap raised from $50 million to $60 million.
And the next customer might already be lined up. The live-action Lilo & Stitch shot on O'ahu too, and with a sequel in the works, a return trip seems likely. The islands are open for business.
Meanwhile, the Movie Itself Is Sweating
Now for the awkward part. The film that delivered all this good news is limping out of the gate.
Thursday previews pulled just $4.5 million. Rotten Tomatoes has not been kind. Opening weekend projections sit between $45 million and $60 million, which sounds fine until you hear the budget: roughly $200 million. After Snow White faceplanted in 2025, Disney needed this one to land clean.
The pieces looked strong on paper. Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui and producing what he calls a deeply personal project. Hamilton director Thomas Kail is making his feature debut. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mark Mancina on music. Newcomer Catherine Laga'aia in the title role, with original star Auli'i Cravalho stepping into an executive producer seat and backing authentic casting.
And the franchise has receipts. Moana 2 opened to $389 million worldwide in five days back in 2024 and sailed past a billion total. This is not some forgotten property. Which is exactly why all eyes are on this weekend's numbers.
Hawai'i Already Won This Weekend
Call the box office whatever you want. For the islands, the scoreboard is already settled.
Whatever happens to the remake at the box office, the state banked $39 million, put 560 residents to work, and signed a law that could turn one production into a pipeline. Disney's grade is still pending. Hawai'i already aced the test.
Not bad for nine days of work.
