Cinephiles have plenty to gobble up this year, with the box office bouncing back like a turkey on a trampoline. Thanks to a few smash-hit blockbusters, the Thanksgiving season is serving up bigger and better treats than ever. After 8 years, Disney’s favorite ocean voyager Moana sailed back onto the big screen with a sequel stirring nostalgia and reigniting the inner child in adults. But this sequel is more than just a follow-up to Moana since it has been reworked for the bigger screen from their earlier plans for a streaming series.

Director David Derrick Jr. spilled the secret sauce behind its success—striking the right balance to avoid the dreaded been-there-seen-that trap.

Discussing Films on X recently conversed with Moana 2 director David Derrick Jr. regarding the highly anticipated sequel. Speaking of how the project evolved from a Disney+ TV series into a feature film with a theatrical release, Derrick Jr. was asked whether he had to incorporate major changes to adjust to the shift. Derrick Jr. explained that in the series, the focus was primarily on the crew members so that they could justify their fit in the feature film.

Calling it an “inverse” approach to what they did with the film, they “rightsized” the magnifying glass to put everything on the forefront through Moana’s lens. Having already spent more time with the crew in the series, the director elaborated on how it helped them cash in on their “best comedic moments” to implement them in the film. Although he revealed the right-sizing was rather “dramatic,” in a separate interview with Collider, it ensured it serviced right to a feature format.

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Moana 2 may have done away with a few elements, but the Thanksgiving box office has never been better with a record that is turning heads and dropping jaws left and right.

As Disney’s Moana 2 continues to make waves in the headlines with rave reviews and soaring box office predictions, the hard numbers tell the real tale of its blockbuster success. According to Variety, the sequel has set a new Thanksgiving record, raking in an impressive $221million over the five-day holiday weekend, shattering the previous high set by animated hits like Frozen II (2019) and Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013).

Not only has Moana 2 claimed the title for the biggest five-day debut ever, surpassing Universal’s colossal The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), but its three-day take of $135.5 million also marks the strongest opening for Walt Disney Animation, beating even Frozen II. What is more, ticket sales for the sequel outpaced initial projects of $135 to $145 million, proving the magic is all too real.

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What do you think of David Derrick's revelation about the secret sauce behind Moana 2's success? Let us know in the comments below!