It’s impressive to see that The Little Mermaid achieved a strong performance at the North American box office with $10.3 million in previews as the Memorial Day weekend began. This is considered one of the best showings ever for screenings before the holiday weekend.
Out of the $10.3 million, $850,000 was earned from special screenings on Wednesday, with the remaining amount coming from traditional Thursday evening screenings.
The film’s preview gross puts it at the seventh spot on the list of top preview grosses for movies rated G or PG. This indicates a positive reception and anticipation among audiences for The Little Mermaid.
In the live-action remake of Disney’s popular animated film, “The Little Mermaid,” directed by Rob Marshall, Halle Bailey takes on the role of Ariel, a spirited young mermaid. She enters into a risky agreement with the wicked sea witch Ursula (played by Melissa McCarthy) in order to experience life on land and meet Prince Eric (portrayed by Jonah Hauer-King), a charming prince. However, this pact puts her father’s underwater kingdom in jeopardy.
The talented cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, and Art Malik.
Despite facing racist backlash from some social media commenters who object to the casting of a Black actress in the lead role, Halle Bailey’s performance as Ariel has received praise from critics. Disney insiders anticipate that these objections won’t significantly impact the film’s reception in North America, but they are curious to see how it will be received in certain international markets.
The highly anticipated movie, “The Little Mermaid,” is projected to earn around $120 million during the four-day Memorial Day weekend. If achieved, this would make it the fifth highest-grossing start for this holiday weekend. Currently, Disney’s live-action “Aladdin” holds that position with a $116.8 million opening, including $7 million from previews.
The film’s four-day earnings are expected to reach $100 million from the main three days. While presales for “The Little Mermaid” are surpassing those of “Aladdin,” they are trailing behind other live-action remakes like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.”
Internationally, the movie is estimated to have an $80 million opening through Sunday.
Interest in the film is being driven by girls, moms, and other female viewers, similar to the audience composition of “Beauty and the Beast,” which had a 70 percent female audience.
“The Little Mermaid” features a score composed by multiple Oscar winner Alan Menken, along with new songs contributed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.