Disney’s The Little Mermaid Heading Towards A $118 Million Opening
The Little Mermaid dominated the domestic box office this weekend, bringing in $96 million through Sunday, on its way to a $118 million opening weekend.
That number would make Rob Marshall’s take on the animated classic the fifth-highest-grossing Memorial Day weekend release.
Image: Disney
The film had originally been tracking toward a $125-130 million opening weekend, but soft Saturday numbers have tempered expectations. Despite mixed reviews, audiences have turned up in droves to dive under the sea with Ariel.
A Nostalgic Hit
The film has no doubt been buoyed by the generations of fans who grew up loving the animated classic. Even those who weren’t around for the original film’s release.
Image: Disney
“It’s a classic,” said Tony Chambers, Disney’s head of distribution. “You ask a lot of women or men of my age and it’s ‘Little Mermaid’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that rank as their favorite animated movie. It’s a story that takes them back to their respective childhoods and this movie is the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to pass that love on to the next generation.”
Image: Disney
A Struggle Internationally
Even with a strong domestic debut, The Little Mermaid will need to do well internationally in order to break even. The film had a $250 million production budget.
(L-R): Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
So far, however, the international box office has been tough waters for The Little Mermaid. So far the film has grossed $68.3 million from 51 markets.
In the United States, 68% of the film’s audience has been female, with 25% of ticket buyers between the age of 25 and 34. Kids on the other hand accounted for 22% of the opening weekend crowds.
Image: Disney
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