‘The Little Mermaid’ Makes Waves With $96 Million Box Office Debut
Disney fans flocked to theaters over the 2023 Memorial Day weekend, giving The Little Mermaid a record-setting opening.
According to Variety, the live-action remake of the classic tale is set to debut at $118 million over the four-day holiday, with $96 million from the three-day weekend frame. The earnings cement the Halle Bailey-led film as the fifth-highest Memorial Day opening in history.
“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,” explained Tony Chambers, Disney’s head of distribution, to the outlet.
According to the data, 68% of the audience was female, with 25% of viewers ranging in age between 25 to 34. Children represented 22% of the opening weekend ticketholders.
Including international ticket sales, The Little Mermaid brought in a total of $185.8 million over the weekend CNN reports.
“Seeing the world’s reaction to it was definitely a shock, but seeing all the babies’ reactions, all the brown and Black young girls, really tore me up emotionally,” detailed the newly crowned Disney Princess ahead of the film’s release. “It’s honestly been such a crazy ride, and I genuinely feel shocked and honored and grateful to be in this position. A lot of times, I have to pinch myself and be like, is this real life?”
In addition to Bailey, the magical movie stars Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. The Little Mermaid is directed by Rob Marshall and features music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. Watch the official trailer below.
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