“The Little Mermaid” is a bigger swimmer than anyone could have predicted.
The live action remake of the popular cartoon was the fourth highest of all Disney’s double dips, coming with a $95 million weekend. That’s higher than “Aladdin” with Will Smith in 2019.
The success is extra nice because there were protests up front about casting being “different” than what some limited minded fans imagined. Reviews are positive if not overwhelming, but audience response is excellent. Also, school is getting out, so parents have to take their kids someplace, and everyone’s seen “Super Mario.”
When does Round 3 begin of re-remaking the live action films as dramas? “Cinderella” would be a good place to start.
Elsewhere the box office was not stimulated. A24 followed up their dud, “Beau is Afraid” with a really good film that few saw called “You Hurt My Feelings.” Something called “The Machine,” which no one knows a thing about (in keeping with Sony strategy) made $4.9 million, a bit more than the latest Robert De Niro side movie, “About My Father.” (Lucky for De Niro he has an Oscar nom coming with a hit in “Killers of the Flower Moon” this fall.)
“Fast X” played to the franchise’s fans and has $108K in two weeks. This is like a big TV series now. They’re never going to have new audience. But the loyals keep turning up, and everyone involved has made a ton of money.
