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Disney’s live-action adaptation of the beloved tale ofThe Little Mermaidhas finally surpassed the total gross of the original animated movie. Despite the underwhelming premiere, the Halle Bailey-led film achieved a milestone in its first week.
The original animated film was released in 1989 starring Jodi Benson as the voice of Ariel. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale,The Little Mermaidrevived the popularity of Disney animation.
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Halle Bailey’sThe Little MermaidOfficially Beats Original Animated Movie
In a report fromCollider, 2023’sThe Little Mermaidhas grossed over $250 million, surpassing the original film’s worldwide profit of $211 million. Most of the latest adaptation’s earnings came from its domestic opening, as the international box office saw a modest start.
Most of Disney’s live-action movies performed excellently in foreign markets than in the United States, a telltale sign for the marketing team behindThe Little Mermaidto push for more marketing tactics.
Directed by Rob Marshall,The Little Mermaidfollows Disney’s roster of movie adaptations such asThe Lion King,Aladdin, andBeauty and the Beast. While only a few emerged as successful at the box office, withThe Lion Kingearning a staggering $1 billion, many turned out to be disastrous, while some remained confined within streaming platforms.
The Little Mermaidnow relies on its enduring popularity, and with a massive production budget of $250 million, the studio seems to have high expectations for the film. Aside from newcomer Halle Bailey, it also stars Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, Jonah Hauer-King, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Jacob Tremblay, and Art Malik, to name a few.
Fans are also celebrating the movie’s small wins. Check out their reactions on Twitter below:
of course it did. top tier films tend to do that.pic.twitter.com/J1eMacGDjc
— ~ (@hopfiIms)July 12, 2025
I will be seated again today
— kai♡ 🇧🇷 (@kairoyaltyy)June 21, 2025
Such a fabulous remake. Loved it even more than the original!#TheLittleMermaid
— Neo Edmund (@TheOneNeoEdmund)August 21, 2025
Ngl that’s epic, iconic, historic
— BoredApe6328.eth 🍌 (@DaybedNFT)August 12, 2025
Black girl magick.
— ThehoodoracleCarmenCatalina (@allthingscarmen)July 15, 2025
Halle the legend you are 🥹
— 𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚒™ (@totalydanii)June 20, 2025
With the movie’s current total breaking even the cost of production,The Little Mermaidis expected to churn more money in the coming weeks that would determine its overall fate.
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Halle Bailey Reflects On Her Role As A Black Mermaid
Disney’s announcement ofThe Little Mermaid’s screen adaption withHalle Baileyin the starring role produced a mixed bag of reactions from fans. The 23-year-old actress admitted she was aware of the backlash (viaThe Guardian):
“I mean, yeah. The world we live in today, just being a black woman, you have a certain awareness that comes with life, in general. So I wasn’t very surprised or shocked. I think it’s just the way that you respond and move, and know that inside you’re worthy, and you’re here for a reason.”
The low performance of the film in the international arena could be attributed to the early negative reception of fans toward the film, with people continuously down-voting the movie’s promotional materials. Bailey remarked how seeing a Black mermaid on screen would have changed her entire perspective in life:
“Because I feel like, if I would have had a black mermaid, that would have been insane, that would have changed my whole perspective, my whole life, my confidence, my self-worth. You’re able to see a person who looks like you, when you’re young? Some people are just like, oh, it’s whatever, because they’ve had it their whole life. It’s nothing to them.”
Despite the less-than-stellar premiere, it still has the charm to attract viewers from international regions with better marketing strategies.The Little Mermaidis now showing in theaters worldwide.
Sources:Collider,Twitter,The Guardian
RELATED:Disney’s The Little Mermaid Earns a Whopping $38 Million in Opening Day as Racist Trolls Go Back to Their Caves
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3532
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
