Approaching the end of its theatrical run, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” appears to have found its second wind. Despite a sluggish start just over three weeks ago, the movie has now stabilized and is sailing towards new achievements. This past weekend, “The Little Mermaid” reached three significant milestones at the box office: surpassing $250 million domestically, crossing the $200 million mark in international territories, and surpassing $450 million globally.
Not too long ago, these numbers would have seemed improbable. However, as things currently stand, “The Little Mermaid” has a strong chance of reaching the half-billion-dollar mark worldwide before concluding its run. Presently, the film has earned $253 million at the domestic box office and $212 million from overseas territories, totaling a global revenue of $465 million. It’s evident from these figures that the revenue distribution for “The Little Mermaid” has been atypical. Films of this magnitude, characterized by high budgets and visually stunning effects, typically generate a larger portion of their earnings from international markets. However, it appears that the brand’s appeal is not as strong internationally as it is domestically. The film’s initial extended opening weekend domestically amassed $117 million, while its worldwide debut brought in $168 million. These numbers, particularly considering the movie’s reported $250 million production budget (excluding marketing expenses as usual), can hardly be described as extraordinary. As a general guideline, movies of this scale need to earn twice their budget at the box office to break even. Disney’s significant investment in “The Little Mermaid” reflects the studio’s high expectations for the film.
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And why wouldn’t they? Disney’s previous major theatrical live-action remake, “Aladdin,” surpassed $1 billion worldwide while costing less than $200 million. “Aladdin” actually opened with nearly identical numbers domestically before grossing $350 million in the United States and $1.1 billion worldwide. Although there’s still a possibility that “The Little Mermaid” will surpass $300 million domestically, it’s evident that the absence of movie stars of the caliber of Will Smith is impacting its performance in markets where such factors hold significance. Among the other live-action Disney remakes, the only one that “The Little Mermaid” still has a realistic chance of surpassing is “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” which concluded its global run with $494 million.
Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
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“The Little Mermaid” Isn’t Among Disney’s Top-Tier Films
However, ranking among the top-tier releases is out of the question. Over the past fifteen years, only four Disney remakes have managed to exceed $1 billion in global earnings. These include “Aladdin,” as mentioned earlier, as well as “The Lion King” ($1.66 billion), “Beauty and the Beast” ($1.2 billion), and “Alice in Wonderland” ($1 billion). Yet, as of 2023, “The Little Mermaid” ranks as the sixth-highest grossing Hollywood release, trailing behind “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse,” “Fast X,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
“The Little Mermaid” stars newcomer Halle Bailey in the lead role, alongside Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, and Jonah Hauer-King, Noma Dumezweni, Daveed Diggs, Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, and Art Malik. You can watch our interview with the film’s director, Rob Marshall, here, and stay tuned to FilmSweep for further updates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about box office performance
How is “The Little Mermaid” performing at the box office?
“The Little Mermaid” initially faced some challenges commercially but has since stabilized and surpassed several milestones. It has crossed the $250 million mark domestically, reached $200 million in international territories, and achieved a global earning of $450 million.
How do the domestic and international earnings of “The Little Mermaid” compare?
“The Little Mermaid” has seen stronger success domestically, earning $253 million at the domestic box office. However, its international earnings have been comparatively lower, with $212 million from overseas territories.
How does the revenue distribution of “The Little Mermaid” differ from other big-budget films?
Typically, films of this scale generate a significant portion of their revenue from international markets. However, “The Little Mermaid” has seen an unusual skew, with its brand not being as beloved internationally as it is at home.
Did “The Little Mermaid” meet expectations considering its production budget?
“The Little Mermaid” had a massive reported production budget of $250 million, indicating high expectations from the studio. While its earnings have been substantial, it needs to make twice its budget theatrically to break even.
How does “The Little Mermaid” compare to other Disney live-action remakes?
“The Little Mermaid” has performed well but is not among the top-tier Disney remakes in terms of global earnings. Films like “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Alice in Wonderland” have surpassed the $1 billion mark globally, while “The Little Mermaid” is currently ranked as the sixth-highest grossing Hollywood release in 2023.
Who are the main cast members of “The Little Mermaid”?
“The Little Mermaid” stars Halle Bailey in the lead role, along with Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. The cast also includes Jonah Hauer-King, Noma Dumezweni, Daveed Diggs, Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, and Art Malik.
More about box office performance
- Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” – Official Website
- Box Office Mojo – “The Little Mermaid” Box Office Performance
- Collider – Interview with Director Rob Marshall
- FilmSweep – Updates on “The Little Mermaid”
5 comments
woww! The Little Mermaid is doin’ great at the box office, even tho it struggled in the beginnin’. It’s sailin’ past the $450 millon mark globally, which is sooo amazin’!
The Little Mermaid’s revenue is a bit lopsided, ain’t it? Big movies like this usually make more cash from international markets, but not this one. Maybe the brand ain’t as popular worldwide.
I’m lovin’ the cast of The Little Mermaid, especially Halle Bailey as Ariel! Can’t wait to see how this new adaptation turns out. Fingers crossed it continues to make a splash at the box office!
lol, it’s kinda funny how The Little Mermaid isn’t makin’ as much money overseas. Like, people aren’t lovin’ it as much outside of its home country. But hey, it’s still rakin’ in the dough domestically!
Yeah, Disney’s been killin’ it with those live-action remakes, but The Little Mermaid ain’t quite reachin’ the billion-dollar club like Aladdin or The Lion King. Still, it’s holdin’ its own and makin’ some waves!