The Little Mermaidis continuing to make big waves at the box office this weekend, as the latest live-action Disney remake is projected to earn $117.5 million domestically during the Memorial Day weekend, according toDeadline. This would put the movie slightly ahead ofAladdin’s $116.8 million debut, which opened on the same holiday weekend in 2019.
The latest estimates come from the film earning $27.4 million this Sunday, with a projected additional $22.1 million expected on Memorial Day. While the film’s numbers so far remain slightly lower than previously expected, the debut does remain the fifth-biggest openingMemorial Day weekendof all time, behindX-Men: The Last Stand‘s $122.9 million and ahead ofFast & Furious 6‘s $117 million. Alongside a variety of factors, such as nostalgia, the big debut of the film can also be attributed to its $80 million marketing campaign, which according to Deadline, is one of the biggest for a non-Marvel orLucasfilmDisney production.
However, with a hefty price tag of $250 million, the film’s true test will be how well its legs will hold in the following weeks, especially with significant competition on the way, such asSpider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseandTransformers: Rise of the Beasts, which also attract family audiences. But given the positive word-of-mouth the film has received so far, with a 95% audience rating onRotten Tomatoesalongside an ‘A’ CinemaScore, the film may yet still prove to be sea-worthy in the upcoming weeks into the crowded summer movie season.
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Like Them or Not, Disney’s Live-Action Remakes Are Here to Stay
With the film based on the beloved classic that kicked off the Disney Renaissance that dominated the ‘90s, it should come as no surprise thatThe Little Mermaidwould make a massive splash at the box office this weekend, especially following the success of previous live-action remakes. While Disney’s recent trend of remaking their beloved animated classics into live-actionremains controversialamong some fans due to their derivative nature, there’s no denying that they continue to dominate the box office. And withThe Little Mermaidopening to big numbers this weekend, it appears they won’t be going away anytime soon. Following the latest remake from the House of Mouse, Disney will continue its live-action momentum with the theatrical release ofSnow Whitein 2024 alongsideMufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the hit 2019 film. However, until then, audiences can dive into the colorful undersea journey with Ariel asThe Little Mermaidis now playing in theaters.
Check out the official trailer for the film below and be sure to stay tuned for further updates.
