The Little Mermaid Makes a Splash with Spectacular Debut on Disney+
The Little Mermaid's enchanting debut on Disney+ surpasses expectations, promising to compensate for its underwhelming box office performance this summer
Summary
Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid had a strong debut on Disney+, attracting 16 million views in its first five days on the streaming service.
The streaming success of the film could compensate for its underperformance in theaters and have a positive impact on future productions. With its release on Disney+, The Little Mermaid has the potential to surpass its original run, attracting a larger audience and generating more support for its home release and merchandise.
Despite its mixed reception at the box office, the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid in 2023 has achieved one of Disney+'s most successful debuts. Based on Hans Christian Anderson's beloved fairy tale, Disney's remake of their 1989 animated film starred Halle Bailey as the mermaid princess Ariel, who becomes enamored with the world of humans and makes a deal to acquire legs. Although The Little Mermaid is ranked as the tenth highest-grossing film of 2023, it fell short of meeting box office expectations and received mixed reviews from critics.
Following its release on Disney+ on September 6th, The Walt Disney Company revealed that The Little Mermaid quickly became one of the streaming service's most-watched debuts to date. In an official statement, Disney announced that the movie garnered 16 million views within its first five days on the platform. These impressive viewership numbers solidify The Little Mermaid as one of the most successful film premieres since Hocus Pocus 2 in September 2022, which previously held the record for the largest debut on the service.
The Little Mermaid's Streaming Performance Could Make Up For A Troubled Summer Theatrical Run
Despite earning more views than the studio's other live-action remakes, The Little Mermaid faced numerous challenges during its initial theatrical run. It had to overcome the expectations set by the original movie and was released during a crowded summer season when Disney was struggling at the box office with other, more original films.
However, the recent release of The Little Mermaid on Disney+ has the potential to make it more successful than its original run. If it gains a strong following on the streaming platform, viewers may be more inclined to support its home release and purchase related merchandise. Additionally, the viewership numbers could convince Disney's higher-ups to invest more in future live-action remakes.
The underperformance of The Little Mermaid in theaters has sparked interest within Disney and the industry regarding a potential second chance on streaming. The strong debut of the movie on Disney+ indicates continued curiosity, regardless of whether audiences had seen it in theaters. Consequently, the streaming performance of The Little Mermaid may influence future productions, considering the numerous remakes currently in Disney's plans.
