Disney's Live Action The Little Mermaid

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And I think Disney knows this, and I think they like having a shield from criticism. They insert just enough "diversity" so that if something they make sucks and gets criticized for sucking, they can point at the Deplorables and say "everyone actually loves our movie, we're only getting review-bombed because the sexist/racist/bigot/homophobes can't stand a female/black/LGBTQ+ character."

…such as crappy Star Wars you can’t pay people to watch now?
To the point where it actually broke the studio and they can hardly get anything done?

Perhaps?

 

[Tha Realest]

So, here's a serious question.

For those who are claiming/stating that the movie is a failure overseas, (particularly in Asia), that the movie is horrible or just bad, that most people don't like it, etc. What exactly is the point trying to be made? Nobody is disputing that the movie has failed in Asia, so that's beating a dead horse. What is exactly the purpose of going on and on and on about the negatives of this movie? What is being sought by doing that?

I think several people are really curious about the intentions in doing so.

Anyone who wants Disney to succeed should want them to produce successful films. It doesn’t bother me when a given movie fails or succeeds. But when movie after movie fails, and the theatrical side loses money, that’s troublesome. I’m of the mind that the costs and shortfalls on the theatrical/D+ side have been affecting the Parks. I also think the out of control budgets that require a massive box office (domestic and international) is unsustainable.

 

[Jedijax719]

The recognition is that this movie took a lot of time and effort to produce - that could be used on other projects that are better for Disney and it’s fans.

The question is: are they gonna continue to make bad product?


It’s really that simple. There can be a healthy debate around what happened and what it means? But it seems that you’re looking for “evil” on a stat sheet here. It is what it is. They missed.
Maybe there isn’t any?

A lot of baggage to unpack with that. The movie took so "long" due to COVID delays which delayed all movies. And if it did take away from other alleged projects, why aren't those projects being made now? And what are these supposed projects anyway?

I feel like I am reading transcripts from from nerdrotic, critical drinker, gamers and geeks, and disparu.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A lot of baggage to unpack with that. The movie took so "long" due to COVID delays which delayed all movies. And if it did take away from other alleged projects, why aren't those projects being made now? And what are these supposed projects anyway?

I feel like I am reading transcripts from from nerdrotic, critical drinker, gamers and geeks, and disparu.

I’ll give you that…production probably ran unusually high due to factors

And as to why they aren’t doing other things? I don’t know if you’ve been busy…but TWDC is kinda in some trouble. Horribly managed from top down and it’s coming to a head.

But…that doesn’t explain why it didn’t make a billion.

 

[Andrew C]

I’m glad they cast someone who could *sing.* especially considering how it’s so integral to Ariel as a character (not just because it’s a musical film, but because her singing voice is an integral part of her actual character).

Yeah, her talent really cannot be questioned.

 

[Trauma]

Yeah, her talent really cannot be questioned.

Hopefully she gets another chance. Maybe she should work with someone other than Disney.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I just... I genuinely can't understand someone not being upset about this. This is Jim Crow stuff, and it's being done in the name of progress! This isn't inclusion, it's the opposite of inclusion. If you want to say race doesn't matter in casting, fine, then hire the best character performers regardless of race or ethnicity. Don't cast white actresses for one role and black actresses for a second role when they're the same role. This is such poison for children, who are so innocent. "Mommy I want to meet The Little Mermaid." *Gets in line.* "No, not THAT one."

What the hell are we doing to children?

"Black girls, you go meet YOUR Ariel at Hollywood Studios, white girls, you go meet YOUR Ariel at Magic Kingdom." That's so perverse and disgusting.

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It's very easy to think of this after the fact, but the live action remake should have been a live action sequel about Ariel's sisters and NOT about Ariel. Too late.

This is not the way to go. Looking at this, in my opinion, the only way to fix this going forward is to change all Ariels to look like the live action remake, including the attractions.

 

[Figgy1]

I’m glad they cast someone who could *sing.* especially considering how it’s so integral to Ariel as a character (not just because it’s a musical film, but because her singing voice is an integral part of her actual character).

I enjoy Emma Watson as an actress and thought her acting in BatB was fine, but the remake is hard for me because of how obvious the auto tuning is. Her voice is fine, but it wasn’t strong enough to carry the musical demands placed on her.

I may have mentioned this before but I loved the BATB remake because I never got into the original but you're right about EW's singing ability. Thank goodness for the rest of the cast in that department but I did enjoy her acting

 

[Californian Elitist]

Halle Bailey being great and Disney being manipulative in their marketing and promotion of the film are not mutually exclusive. They can both be true.

I can hire my brother-in-law as my financial advisor. My brother-in-law might be a great financial advisor. But that doesn't mean I should select my financial advisor based on who I'm related to.

Not sure how nepotism relates to this.

In my opinion, you are choosing to see things this way. I’ll leave it here.

 

[Phroobar]

Looks like Spiderman should outshadow the Little Mermaid fairly quickly.

 

[Trauma]

It's very easy to think of this after the fact, but the live action remake should have been a live action sequel about Ariel's sisters and NOT about Ariel. Too late.

This is not the way to go. Looking at this, in my opinion, the only way to fix this going forward is to change all Ariels to look like the live action remake, including the attractions.

Yes but since this is clearly not going to happen now what?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Why would a kid say “not that one?” I think people understand your position here but just don’t agree with it.

I really don’t get the one or the other thing. We will go see both Ariels . Fantasyland is for animated movies, DHS more so for live action. Nothing to do with race.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Why would a kid say “not that one?”

Because Disney has taught their parents to show them trailers for movies while sticking a camera in their face and saying "she looks just like you!" so they can post their reactions on Instagram and TikTok for clout. So while Disney may claim that "race doesn't matter," they're doing everything in their power to make sure that it's the only thing that matters.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Yes but since this is clearly not going to happen now what?

Unclear, but this is a mess Disney created for themselves.

 

[FettFan]

Don't let it get to you. Some just want their "gotcha!" moment. (I admit that 'Tomorrowland' is a movie I love and most think it's a junk pile, so I kind of understand) Myself? I just want the live-action-remake train to derail for good. It's Eisner Sequelitis Part Deux.

And that’s the thing though….remakes don’t *have* to be terrible.

Take for example 1956’s The Ten Commandments and 1998’s The Prince of Egypt.

I love both of them equally. There are things that the 1956 version do better (the pure scope of the movie and the epic golden age Hollywood soundtrack), there are things that the animated version does better (Ralph Fienne’s Rameses is written as a deeper, more tragic character than the stoic stock bad guy performed by Yul Brynner)

The Disney remakes should have been made using these movies as examples. Instead, we got watered down bargain-bin versions of classic movies that, despite the newer technology and bigger budgets, are simply inferior to what came before.

In the original BatB, the Beast has gravity about him. When he moves, everything around him is reacting. He’s also decidedly not human…he’s a chimera of wolf, Bear, bison, goat, and gorilla.

In the remake? We get Dan what’s is name in a Disneyfied wolfman costume.

 

[HauntedPirate]

And that’s the thing though….remakes don’t *have* to be terrible.

Is Bob aware of this? I think he may have missed an important memo during the initial conversations oh-so-many years ago.

(I agree, by the way. The only remake I've seen is BatB and I thought it was terrible. The previews for every other remake have made me recoil.)

 

[Disstevefan1]

Looks like Spiderman should outshadow the Little Mermaid fairly quickly.

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This is not about anything other than better movies should make more money. Both movies are great, but the spider is simply a better movie.

 

[Trauma]

Good news is we can start discussing then next flop Elemental next week.

What’s the excuse for that one gonna be ?

 

[Disstevefan1]

Good news is we can start discussing then next flop Elemental next week.

What’s the excuse for that one gonna be ?

I will start -
The movie is a creative success.
The reasons it lost money are:
It cost too much money to make.
The plot was done over and over again; nothing new.
It wasn't funny enough.
It wasn't marketed enough.

 

[Trauma]

I will start -
The movie is a creative success.
The reasons it lost money are:
It cost too much money to make.
The plot was done over and over again; nothing new.
It wasn't funny enough.
It wasn't marketed enough.

We should make a Disney Wheel of excuses.

Every time a movie comes out you give it a good spin.