The Little Mermaid: Box Office Triumph or Flop? Amidst the polarized reactions surrounding The Little Mermaid, the truth about its box office performance emerges.
The live-action adaptation of Disney's timeless 1989 animated film, The Little Mermaid, has become entangled in a web of debates and politicization, transforming personal opinions about the film into ideological stances and statements.
While many genuinely believed that remaking the beloved 1989 classic was unnecessary or even sacrilegious, a significant portion of the criticism has revolved around the remake's perceived "woke" agenda, particularly regarding the casting of Halle Bailey, a black actress, in the traditionally red-haired and white role of the film's titular character.
This divide even extends to the assessment of the film's box office performance. Its advocates have gone to great lengths to depict it as a resounding success, while detractors have been equally eager to label it as a failure.
Unraveling The Little Mermaid's Box Office Fate: A Tale of Mixed Results
Amidst the clash of conflicting narratives, interpreting box office figures can be a murky endeavor. However, the current box office performance of The Little Mermaid, approximately ten days into its theatrical release, provides valuable insights into its profitability for Disney.
Venturing into International Waters Having premiered in North America on May 26, 2023, just ahead of the Memorial Day Weekend, The Little Mermaid made a splash by grossing $118.6 million during the four-day Memorial Day frame. This figure slightly surpassed the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin, which amassed $116.8 million during the same timeframe.
However, the film's lackluster performance during its opening weekend in international markets cast a shadow on its success. The Little Mermaid only managed to accumulate $63.8 million globally, with a meager $2.5 million from the crucial Chinese market.
Considering that previous Disney live-action remakes have earned a significantly higher portion of their revenue from international markets, The Little Mermaid finds itself in a precarious position. It faces an uphill battle in reaching a break-even point financially, let alone securing substantial profits.
The Little Mermaid's Financial Challenge: Reaching the Break-Even Point
With a hefty production cost of $250 million and a reported $140 million spent on marketing, The Little Mermaid faces a daunting task. According to insiders in Hollywood, the film needs to achieve a worldwide box office gross of approximately $560 million to reach its break-even threshold.
This $560 million target includes estimated earnings from various revenue streams beyond the theatrical release. It assumes a domestic gross of $300 million, an international gross of $260 million, $100 million from television (both free and pay television), an additional $100 million from home entertainment (digital and DVD), and $80 million from international television sales and streaming rights.
Essentially, the projected break-even scenario accounts for the exhaustion of the film's potential revenue streams, leaving little room for substantial profitability for Disney. With such high financial expectations to meet, The Little Mermaid faces a challenging journey towards achieving significant profits.
The Little Mermaid Struggles to Keep Pace with Disney's Live-Action Remakes
In terms of box office performance, The Little Mermaid is trailing significantly behind Disney's previous live-action remake films, excluding the pandemic-affected Mulan from 2020.
For instance, the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin achieved remarkable success, grossing $356.5 million domestically and a staggering $695.1 million internationally, resulting in a worldwide box office gross surpassing $1 billion. Similarly, the 2017 adaptation of Beauty and the Beast generated $504 million domestically and $759.5 million internationally, accumulating a worldwide box office gross exceeding $1.2 billion.
In stark contrast, The Little Mermaid, at the conclusion of its second weekend in theaters, has only amassed approximately $260 million at the global box office. Considering its current trajectory, particularly in international markets, the film is projected to potentially outperform commercially only Dumbo, the 2019 adaptation of the beloved 1941 animated film. Dumbo achieved a worldwide box office gross of $353 million, falling short of its reported $500 million worldwide box office break-even point.
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