The Little Mermaid is certainly not a flop for Disney. The opening weekend of the film was anticipated to generate a domestic box office revenue ranging from $120 million to $130 million. The movie premiered in the United States last week and features Halle Bailey as the titular character. It was expected to achieve Disney's fourth highest-grossing opening weekend. That would have left it trailing behind Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In the end, The Little Mermaid film pulled in around $117 million domestically. That makes it one of the most successful Memorial Day weekend releases of all time.
Back in 2019, Disney made an initial announcement regarding the selection of Halle Bailey for the lead role in their live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, the decision to cast a black woman sparked a wave of controversy. Halle's community understandably celebrated the success of the talented 23-year-old actress. However, racists seized the opportunity to express their objections on social media, opposing the call for diversity. Yara Shadidi also faced a similar backlash when she secured the role of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy. Nonetheless, both young actresses have admirably silenced their critics through their exceptional performances, showcasing their skills and talent.
Users Say "The Little Mermaid" Screening Video Only Hurts The Cause
In the video above, someone who attended a screening of The Little Mermaid had their viewing experience interrupted. A fight broke out in the middle of the film. It's unclear what the altercation was about. One woman can be heard yelling at another saying that she asked her to politely stop doing something. What the other viewer was doing was not revealed in the video. Many took to the comments on the post by The Shade Room. According to them, the outlet should not have posted the video. In their eyes, it takes away from the triumph of the film.
In a recent interview with Glamour, Halle opened up about seeing videos of young black girls reacting to her as Ariel. “When I saw those for the first time, I just cried,” she told the magazine. “I was sobbing uncontrollably. The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing.” The actress will no doubt continue to inspire more children for generations to come. Hopefully, situations like the one in the video above will not mar the success of the adaptation. What do you think of the video? Sound off in the comments below!