Disney’s much-anticipated live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” is facing a staggering box office failure, falling drastically short of expectations. The film experienced a substantial decline in ticket sales, with a 58% drop domestically during its second weekend in theaters. International earnings have been lackluster as well, leaving industry experts and fans disappointed.
In its opening weekend over Memorial Day, “The Little Mermaid” grossed $95.5 million domestically. However, the film’s performance quickly plummeted, bringing in just $40.6 million in its second weekend. The total domestic box office now stands at $186.2 million, a far cry from what was anticipated for such a high-profile Disney production.
Internationally, the film fared no better. During its opening weekend, “The Little Mermaid” managed to collect $68.3 million, but its second weekend only brought in $42.3 million. As a result, the total international box office currently sits at $140.5 million.
Considering the film’s reported production budget of $250 million, these disappointing numbers paint a grim picture for Disney. Industry analysts predict that “The Little Mermaid” is unlikely to reach its break-even point of $625 million, which indicates significant financial losses for the studio.
The lackluster performance of “The Little Mermaid” is especially disheartening when compared to the success of previous Disney releases. Analysts have pointed out that the film falls short in comparison to the 2019 hit “Aladdin,” which amassed a staggering $788 million internationally.
As the film struggles to generate substantial revenue, it raises concerns about its overall profitability. Despite hopes for a turnaround, experts predict that “The Little Mermaid” may only manage to reach $300 million domestically and $250 million internationally at best. These figures fall significantly short of recouping the production costs and indicate a bleak outlook for the film’s financial performance.
The underwhelming box office numbers have left both Disney and fans perplexed, raising questions about the film’s appeal and the factors contributing to its failure. As industry observers analyze the situation, it remains to be seen how Disney will navigate this setback and what impact it will have on future projects.