We’ve ranked all of Disney’s Moana movies based on each entry’s Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. The list doesn’t include the 2017 short film Moana Mini Movie: Gone Fishing, which was first released alongside the first animated movie’s home video release. This comes ahead of Dwayne Johnson‘s live-action Moana remake, which premieres this Friday, July 10.
Moana movies ranked by RT score
3) Moana (2026)
Ranking last is Disney’s upcoming live-action Moana remake, which features Johnson reprising his fan-favorite role as Maui. So far, the film has already garnered a 35% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 51 reviews. This is significantly lower than the franchise’s previous movies, making it the first one to receive a Rotten score. Although Catherine Laga’aia’s portrayal of Moana has been receiving praise for her strong onscreen debut, the film’s ratings are being affected by criticisms concerning the movie’s flat visuals and lack of innovation. Many critics felt that watching the live-action remake be a “shot-for-shot” adaptation of the original just further proved its pointlessness. Some also expressed disappointment over Johnson’s live-action performance of Maui, describing him as awkward and stiff.
2) Moana 2 (2024) – 61%
Claiming the second spot is the 2024 animated sequel Moana 2, which became the franchise’s highest-grossing installment with a gross of over $1 billion. It has a 61% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while its Popcornmeter is higher at 85%. Despite surpassing the first installment at the box office, the sequel didn’t quite live up to the critics’ expectations. The 2024 film was criticized for its pacing and unmemorable soundtrack. Some critics also believed that the creative team failed the chance to utilize more of its new characters. However, many critics singled out Auliʻi Cravalho’s captivating vocal performance as Moana as one of the movie’s major highlights. They also loved the reunion between Moana and Maui, noting that their chemistry gave the story the spark it needed.
1) Moana (2016) – 95%
Topping the list is the critically acclaimed 2016 film Moana, which received a 95% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Disney’s groundbreaking animated movie was celebrated for its originality, cultural significance, and incredible animation. Many critics and fans loved Cravalho’s performance as the fierce and independent Moana, who subverted the usual Disney Princess tropes. The film was also highly praised for its lively and moving soundtrack, with critics describing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs as instant Disney classics.
