This Dwayne Johnson Movie Dominated Streaming Charts In 2023

Even years after its release, one of Dwayne Johnson's most popular films is still as prolific as ever. After making a name for himself with the WWE, Johnson pivoted to acting and emerged as an action star, lending his talents to flicks like "Doom" and "Southland Tales." Along the way, Johnson began to focus on family-friendly and comedic fare, appearing in Disney's "The Game Plan" and "Race to Witch Mountain." In 2016, he continued his relationship with Disney by voicing the demigod Maui in the animated flick "Moana." Released in November 2016, "Moana" was a sensation upon its debut, receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews, which translated to financial receipts of almost $630 million.

And seven years after its release, "Moana" is still making waves for Disney and Johnson. Nielsen, the industry leader in measuring audience viewership, says that "Moana" was the most streamed movie of 2023 (via Variety). The research firm says that the animated adventure film received over 11.6 billion minutes of viewership — significantly higher than other films that topped the streaming charts, like Disney's "Encanto" (9.7 billion minutes) and Illumination's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (8.8 billion minutes). In most countries, the film is exclusively available on Disney+. Overall, six out of the 10 most streamed movies in 2023 were available on Disney+.

Most of the top 10, which boasts films like "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Avatar: The Way of Water," is made up of projects that were released in 2022 and 2023, making the success of 2016's "Moana" all the more pronounced. 

"Moana" stands out as one of Disney's most notable projects from the 2010s and a highlight for Dwayne Johnson. The film was nominated for two Oscars, including best animated film, though it would end up losing the award to Disney's own "Zootopia." Despite that loss, one could argue that "Moana" is far more culturally relevant than "Zootopia," as the musical flick continues to dominate on streaming nearly a decade after its release. 

What makes "Moana" stand out in the current streaming landscape? Probably its catchy musical numbers, which were written in part by Tony sensation Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Johnson-voiced film features now-beloved tracks, like "How Far I'll Go," which was nominated for best original song, and the extremely, almost obsessively catchy "You're Welcome," which has a whopping 1.6 billion views on Disney's official YouTube Vevo channel. 

Save for Rian Johnson's "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," nine out of the 10 most-streamed films of 2023 are kid-friendly fare. That isn't surprising when one considers how popular, convenient, and cost-effective an option streaming is for parents who want to occupy their children. Nielsen says that streaming viewership in 2023 was up by 21% compared to 2022, signaling a major pivot in how Americans consume film and television. And for the House of Mouse, the success of "Moana" after all these years is a boon. Disney has recently faced some hefty losses in the form of "The Marvels" and "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," which is probably why it's so adamant about turning "Moana" into a large, company-defining franchise.

Beyond its theatrical losses, Disney reports that Disney+ lost 1.3 million subscribers in the final quarter of 2023, thanks in part to hefty price hikes. The House of Mouse's current business strategy isn't as viable as it once was, which is why the corp is making some major moves related to "Moana." While the film did make a hefty sum at the box office, Dwayne Johnson's animated flick failed to crack a billion, the pseudo-benchmark to measure a film's viability. Nevertheless, "Moana" has emerged as a cultural behemoth, still relevant after all these years. 

That's why Disney is going all in on "Moana," giving the film the live-action treatment in 2025, with Johnson returning as Maui. While it remains to be seen how that film does after the "Little Mermaid" remake failed to reach stellar heights, Disney seems confident in the future of "Moana." In early February 2024, Disney made a bombshell announcement by revealing that an animated sequel to "Moana" is set to hit cinemas in late 2024. 

What's particularly interesting about "Moana 2" is that it was repurposed from a Disney+ series into a feature-length film, signaling that Disney wants to, in part, pivot away from its streaming service. The announcement for the "Moana" sequel came shortly after it was revealed that the first flick topped the streaming charts in 2023, making its shift from streaming to theatrical no coincidence. "Moana 2" hits cinemas on November 27, 2024.