Disney is using Taylor Swift and Moana as part of an effort to rebrand its entertainment offerings. The business announced on Wednesday that it has negotiated an agreement with Ms. Swift to release her successful “Eras Tour” concert film to streaming for the first time. “The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)” will have five additional performed songs, including the fan favorite “Cardigan,” and will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 15.
The “Eras Tour” film has grossed more than $260 million in theaters worldwide. In a statement, Disney CEO Robert A. Iger described it as “electrifying” and “a true phenomenon.”
Separately, Disney announced that a big-screen sequel to “Moana” would hit theaters on November 27. The first “Moana” was released in 2016 and grossed $687 million, with a production expenditure of approximately $150 million.
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However, streaming is where the characters’ popularity has grown the most. According to Nielsen, “Moana” was the most popular streaming movie on any provider last year, with 11.6 billion viewing minutes. Nielsen reported that streaming consumers have viewed nearly 80 billion minutes of “Moana” in the last four years.
In “Moana 2,” Auli’i Cravalho, who played the Polynesian princess Moana, and Dwayne Johnson, who played the tattooed demigod Maui, are anticipated to return to their voice roles. Dave Derrick Jr. is the director of the musical sequel, which features the credits for “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Encanto.” An unexpected call from Moana’s ancestors sets her on a journey “to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters,” according to the plot of “Moana 2.”
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Disney’s Previous Struggles
Disney had a difficult year at the box office in 2018. Its box office flops with the animated film “Wish,” the superhero sequel “The Marvels,” and the ostentatious “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” raised questions about the health of several Disney companies. Despite a terrible start, Pixar’s “Elemental” managed to make a respectable $496 million worldwide in the end.
The largely dismal performance has aided activist investors’ attacks on the firm, which stands in sharp contrast to previous years when Disney delivered one blockbuster film after another. For example, Trian Fund Management is running a proxy campaign for many board positions. Disney is making an effort to thwart these efforts.
“Moana 2,” which was first planned to be an animated Disney+ series, is joining the year’s theatrical roster, which Walt Disney Studios hopes would represent a significant change. “Deadpool 3,” “Inside Out 2,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” and “Mufasa,” a “The Lion King” spinoff, are among the other scheduled releases.