How ‘Moana 2’ charted a course back to the big screen

AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — When you look at some of the numbers, it’s hard to believe “Moana 2” was ever going to be anything but a movie. In May, when the trailer for “Moana 2” dropped, it was watched 178 million times in 24 hours. That’s more than “Inside Out 2,” more than “Frozen 2,” more than any animated Disney movie before. A veritable ocean’s worth of anticipation is awaiting the sequel to 2016’s “Moana,” all proof that one of the more dramatic pivots in recent Walt Disney Co. history is paying off, big time. “Moana 2″ began as a streaming series. Now it’s steering toward being one of the fall’s biggest blockbusters when it arrives in theaters Wednesday.