The Moana 2 Effect: Disney's U.K. Business Climbs to a Record $5.8 Billion in 2025

Newly filed financials show The Walt Disney Company's U.K. arm pulled in more than $5.8 billion in 2025, an 11% jump powered by Disney+ subscriber growth and the box-office success of Moana 2 and the live-action Lilo & Stitch. Disney fans are buzzing over what the numbers say about the brand's momentum.

Disney's British business just posted its strongest year yet. According to newly filed financials, The Walt Disney Company Limited — the U.K. subsidiary that handles theatrical distribution, streaming, and licensing — generated more than £4.4 billion ($5.8 billion) in revenue for 2025, an 11.1% jump driven by Disney+ growth and the box-office muscle of Moana 2 and the live-action Lilo & Stitch.

A Record-Breaking Year for Disney in Britain

The numbers come from the company's annual report and audited financial statements, filed at the U.K.'s business registry, Companies House. Beyond the 11.1% revenue bump, post-tax profit surged 37.7% — climbing from £589 million to £811 million over the year that ran from late September 2024 to late September 2025. The report attributes the gains "mainly" to the strong performance of Disney+, alongside the theatrical wins.

The £4.4 billion total breaks down across entertainment, experiences, and operating fees. Entertainment — the lion's share — covers Disney+, film distribution, stage plays, and IP exploitation. Experiences captures merchandise and publishing licensing income plus vacation packages, while operating fees reflect amounts received from fellow group companies. Notably, 95.6% of the revenue came from Europe, including the U.K. and Ireland, with the remainder from the rest of the world.

Moana 2 and Lilo & Stitch Lead the Box-Office Charge

Moana 2 was a phenomenon, becoming one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time after a record-shattering Thanksgiving 2024 debut. The live-action Lilo & Stitch then carried the momentum forward as one of 2025's biggest theatrical draws. For Disney's U.K. arm, that one-two punch translated directly into the kind of distribution revenue that lifts a balance sheet — and it's exactly the pairing fans keep pointing to when they talk about Disney's animation-and-remake playbook firing on all cylinders.

Disney+ Keeps Climbing

The report singles out Disney+ as the headline growth engine, citing year-over-year increases in both subscriber numbers and pricing. After several years of the streaming wars squeezing margins industry-wide, a profitable, growing Disney+ in a major market like the U.K. is a meaningful signal — and one streaming-focused fans have been watching closely.

The Stage Gap: Frozen Out, Hercules In

Remarkably, the record year came despite Disney missing out on lucrative live-theatre revenue for most of the reporting period. Frozen closed in London's West End in September 2024 after a three-year run, while Hercules didn't open until June 2025 — nine months later. With the stage pipeline largely dark for the window, the growth leaned even harder on film and streaming.

Behind the Numbers

Operating costs held steady. Headcount rose by 95 people, lifting the average monthly employee count to 1,981 — the majority (1,160) working in entertainment, with experiences staff ticking up from 446 to 461 and corporate roles dipping from 385 to 360. Even so, aggregate payroll costs slipped marginally, from £266.19 million to £260.80 million.

Why Fans Are Buzzing

For Disney devotees, the U.K. filing is a tidy snapshot of where the brand's momentum is coming from right now: animated tentpoles, live-action remakes, and a streaming service that's finally pulling its weight. The takeaway resonating across fan circles is simple — the movies fans showed up for in droves weren't just cultural moments, they were the financial backbone of Disney's best year yet in one of its largest international markets. If Moana 2 and Lilo & Stitch are any indication of the formula ahead, the next chapter looks bright.