Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explore how Moana 2’s historic box office performance, innovative merchandising, and 3D printing technologies are reshaping the entertainment and toy industries.
Record-Breaking Box Office Performance
Disney’s Moana 2 dominated the Thanksgiving 2024 box office, earning a staggering US$221 million domestically over the five-day holiday period. This marks the largest Thanksgiving weekend opening ever, surpassing Frozen 2’s previous record of US$125 million in 2019. Globally, the film raked in US$368 million by Sunday, showcasing its widespread appeal. In comparison, the original Moana opened to US$82 million domestically in 2016 and ultimately earned US$680 million globally, making the sequel’s debut significantly stronger.
The 2024 Thanksgiving weekend was the most lucrative in box office history, with total domestic earnings of US$420 million. Moana 2 led the pack, followed by Universal’s Wicked, which earned US$117.5 million domestically and US$359.2 million globally in its second weekend. Other releases like Gladiator II contributed to the overall record-breaking total with US$44 million domestically. This year outpaced the previous record of US$315.6 million set in 2018, largely due to the strength of Moana 2 and other high-profile releases.
Merchandise Sales and 3D Printing
The success of Moana 2 extended beyond theaters, with merchandise flying off shelves. Industry leaders Hasbro and Mattel, are the franchise’s primary partners, capitalized on the film’s popularity with a range of toys, including action figures, playsets, and themed games. Recently, Hasbro has incorporated 3D printing into its production processes, allowing for increased flexibility and more creative options.
Hasbro’s partnership with Formlabs enables fans to create personalized action figures, a feature that could be expanded for Moana 2 characters. The company also uses 3D printing to design and test new toys quickly, cutting production timelines.
Here are some collaborations Hasbro has had with Formlabs:
- Selfie Series: Launched in 2022, this initiative allows fans to create action figures with their own faces. By uploading a selfie via Hasbro’s app, the personalized head is 3D printed using Formlabs’ resin printers and attached to a classic character body, such as a Marvel hero or a Star Wars figure.
- Custom Accessories: For toy enthusiasts, Hasbro employs 3D printing to design and produce limited-edition accessories for their action figures. These bespoke items cater to collectors seeking unique, exclusive pieces.
- Prototype and Fan Feedback Models: Through rapid prototyping, Hasbro can produce highly detailed trial models of toys. These are often shared with fans during conventions or surveys, allowing feedback before final production.
In addition, 3D printing has been employed to reduce waste by creating parts on demand, aligning with Disney’s environmental goals.
Future Potential of 3D Printing for Moana 2?
Hasbro could leverage 3D printing further by offering:
- Limited-edition, fan-designed Moana merchandise.
- Interactive kits where children can design and print parts of their toys.
- Customization stations at Disney parks, enabling visitors to create unique Moana-themed memorabilia.
We have covered the success of the Mattel movie and how Mattel has been and could even further use 3D printing for fabricating Barbie dolls and other merchandise.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/or software.
3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, testing and revising 3D printed prototypes are typically eligible expenses toward the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software can also be an eligible R&D expense. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.
Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit-eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion
With its record-breaking box office success, stronger debut than its predecessor, and a surge in merchandise sales supported by innovative 3D printing, Moana 2 has solidified its position as a cultural and commercial powerhouse. The film’s momentum promises to carry into the holiday season, with theaters and toy stores set to benefit from its popularity.
