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Credit: Inside the MagicHalle Bailey is going to make a big splash in The Little Mermaid (2023).
Despite racist backlash at a Black actress portraying a white animated character, Deadline projects that The Little Mermaid will make $110 million over its Memorial Day opening weekend. That’s more than seven times the original made during its opening weekend in 1989: $6.1 million. Adjusted for inflation, that’s just $14.5 million today.
According to Deadline, the majority of ticket-buyers are females 25 and under. The Little Mermaid stands to compete with other Memorial Day releases, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) and Aladdin (2019), which made $153 million and $116.8 million, respectively.
Bailey is already a Disney Princess in the eyes of many Americans, as her Ariel doll makes record sales, and little girls around the country teared up at seeing themselves represented in the film’s trailer. The voice of animated Ariel, Jodi Benson, has fully cosigned onto Bailey’s performance.
The Little Mermaid premieres on May 26, 2023. Directed by Rob Marshall, it features original music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. In addition to Bailey, the film will star Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as sea witch Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder the fish, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Awkwafina as Scuttle the seagull.
More on The Little Mermaid (1989)
Brush up on your knowledge of this Disney Renaissance classic ahead of its live-action remake! “With unforgettable characters, thrilling adventures, soaring Academy Award®-winning music (1989: Best Music, Original Score, and Best Music, Original Song, ‘Under The Sea’), The Little Mermaid is one of the most celebrated animated films of all time,” Disney wrote of the film.
“Venture under the sea where Ariel, a free-spirited mermaid princess, longs to be part of the human world. After bravely striking a bargain with Ursula, a sneaky sea witch, Ariel embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. With Flounder and Sebastian at her side, Ariel will need all of her courage and determination to make things right in both her worlds.”
Are you excited about the live-action The Little Mermaid? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.