Unprecedented Success: The Little Mermaid Makes Waves with Over Half a Billion at the Box Office!
Disney's The Little Mermaid makes a splash at the box office, surpassing $500 million worldwide Will its success measure up to other Disney live-action remakes?
The Little Mermaid's live-action remake is defying expectations at the box office, despite facing some challenges. This reimagining of the beloved 1989 animated film follows Ariel, portrayed by Halle Bailey, as she makes a life-altering deal with the sea witch Ursula, played by Melissa McCarthy. While the movie had a successful domestic opening weekend, raking in $95.5 million, it has been struggling to make waves in international markets.
According to Collider, The Little Mermaid has achieved a significant milestone at the worldwide box office, surpassing $500 million in total earnings. However, even with this accomplishment, it is uncertain whether the film will be profitable. With a hefty production budget of $250 million and substantial expenses for marketing and advertising, reaching a projected final total of around $525 million might not be enough to cover all the costs.
How The Little Mermaid Compares to the Other Disney Live-Action Remakes
When compared to other recent remakes of Disney Renaissance classics, the box office prospects for The Little Mermaid appear particularly grim. Out of the 10 titles released between 1989 and 1999, Disney has already remade five, including The Little Mermaid. While Mulan had a lower box office gross than Mermaid, it was due to a limited theatrical run affected by the COVID-19 closures in early 2020. On the other hand, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King all surpassed the $1 billion mark in worldwide box office earnings by the end of their runs.
Furthermore, 2010's live-action Alice in Wonderland also achieved this milestone. Alongside these four films, The Little Mermaid was also outperformed by 2015's The Jungle Book ($966.6 million), 2014's Maleficent ($758.4 million), and most likely 2015's Cinderella ($542.4 million). As a result, it will rank as the eighth highest-grossing Disney live-action remake overall.
In terms of profit, The Little Mermaid faces a challenge due to its high budget. It is possible that other movies further down the list may end up being more lucrative, despite earning less. Take for example the movie 101 Dalmatians released in 1996, which earned only $320.7 million but had a more modest budget of $67 million. Comparatively, The Little Mermaid's gross of half a billion dollars may not guarantee as much profitability. In fact, it is anticipated that its financial performance will resemble that of Dumbo from 2019, which struggled to reach $353.3 million in total box office earnings against a budget of $170 million.
