Disney's live-action Moana is getting a second chance. After a difficult theatrical run that ended with mixed-to-poor reviews, the remake arrives on Disney+ on October 21, accompanied by a new trailer and poster from the studio. The quick turnaround gives audiences at home the chance to judge the film for themselves — and to decide whether the critical drubbing was fair.

The numbers tell a rough story. Released in July, the film grossed just over $320 million worldwide against a reported $250 million production budget — a figure that leaves little room for profit once marketing costs are factored in. For a remake of one of Disney's most beloved modern animated films, it was a baffling underperformance that has sparked a wider debate about the studio's strategy.

Audiences have been losing interest in live-action remakes for a while now, and Moana's struggles suggest that Lilo & Stitch's success was the exception rather than the rule. The timing may have been the real problem: the film arrived in theaters feeling very recent for a story audiences already knew by heart, and the remake offered little that the original had not done better.

The Disney+ debut on October 21 could rewrite the narrative. Streaming has repeatedly rescued films that failed theatrically, and a family audience discovering Moana at home may be far kinder than opening-weekend critics. Readers following Hollywood's franchise bets can also catch up on the latest casting news for major adaptations.

The bigger question is what Disney does next with its remake pipeline. The studio clearly still believes in the strategy, but each underperformer makes the next greenlight harder to justify. As we noted in our look at Netflix's recent leadership shake-up, even the biggest streamers are recalibrating how they spend on content in 2026.

Whether Moana finds redemption on Disney+ or confirms the audience verdict, the October 21 premiere is one to watch. And for a lighter look at what is hitting screens this season, our roundup of the year's most striking new trailers has plenty to explore.