The Black ‘Little Mermaid’ Makes Huge Splash At The Box Office As Expected With $117.5M Debut
Disney’s The Little Mermaid made a huge impression in its Memorial Day domestic box office debut. Axios reports the live-action remake brought in $117.5 million as fans cheered on our new favorite Black Disney princess, Ariel, played by Halle Bailey. The movie has been labeled as the fifth-highest Memorial Day weekend opening of all-time.
The importance behind this must be noted. With a lead Black actress, the movie was received high praise by movie-goers, gaining a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. it’s debut was a get starter to the summer box office season. Compared to Oscar-nominee, “Top Gun: Maverick” that opened on Memorial Day in 2022, it didn’t have the same momentum but media analyst, Paul Dergarabedian, says it was a healthy start.
‘The Little Mermaid powered a solid Memorial weekend frame that had multiplexes buzzing with activity over the holiday weekend and thus exposing patrons to trailers and in-theater marketing for the upcoming killer movie slate on tap through August,” Dergarabedian said.
While fans are cheering for Ariel and Prince Eric’s love, the movie is seeing some pushback from critics, as well as overseas. In China, Ariel sang a different tune, bombing in the box office with a disappointing $2.5 million, beaten by Japanese animation movie, Sword Art Online The Movie. Chinese publications, The Global Times, released an op-ed accusing Disney of being the reason of the film performing poorly in China by casting a Black actor in the role.
“Many Chinese netizens said that like ‘Snow White’ the image of the mermaid princess in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales has long been rooted in their hearts and it takes a leap of imagination to accept the new cast,” the publication said.
The film bombed in other countries overseas including France, Korea and Germany but Dergarabedian claims the movie industry is still suffering from pre-pandemic sales by almost 25%, however, he feels other late-summer hits will likely make up for it.
RELATED CONTENT: Offset And Daughters Kalea And Kulture Steal The Show At Little Mermaid Premiere