Disney's Live Action The Little Mermaid

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But bad casting choices? I would LOVE to hear the justification for calling Halle Bailey a "bad casting choice". I doubt we will ever get an honest answer to that, but we'd still love to hear why you call her a bad casting choice. Saying that she's "nothing" doesn't cut it. You know and we all know how that comes across.

Nobody knows her…so she brought exactly zero audience pull.

That’s what I meant by “nothing”. Nothing in Hollywood terms. No following…no cult of personality. No name or face recognition to market.

I’m not gonna tell you “how things come across”. I’ll just tell you what I’m saying and skip the undertone nonsense.

 

[BlakeW39]

By all accounts Bailey is the bright spot of the film. And nothing against her, but canvassing the other “live” action films she’s essentially one of the first unknown actors to play a lead in one of these films. Movies live and die on star power, and with the exception of The Jungle Book each one has had a live action star (or multiple stars) in the cast.

I don’t discount the racial component to some of how this film has been received. But they did cast an unknown (from an acting standpoint) with a scant record of film or TV experience. Most successful movies - particularly big budget ones - typically have a known commodity in the lead role(s).

I'd argue that movies haven't really depended on star power that much for a while now.

IP is the new star power

 

[Chi84]

Who has praised "failure"? When did anyone anywhere here ever do that?

All studios have lost money with the exception of an occasional hit. And Disney falls into that category of occasional hit. Avatar2 was an absolute roofbuster. Sony had No Way Home. Universal had Mario. Paramount had Mav. Wakanda Forever and Strange 2 didn't do too shabby for Disney either. And considering when it was released, Shang Chi did well for being released at the heart of the pandemic in September. But Disney had its shares of lemons (mostly animated films and Antman3). TLM isn't one of those while not hitting what Aladdin did pre-pandemic.

And forget about the travesty that is Warner Brothers. That's a whole other level. But the truth is that where Disney has completely fallen off the rails is with its animated division. But that is almost purely due to expectation of a quick Disney plus turnaround. TLM may have felt that effect somewhat domestically.

But bad casting choices? I would LOVE to hear the justification for calling Halle Bailey a "bad casting choice". I doubt we will ever get an honest answer to that, but we'd still love to hear why you call her a bad casting choice. Saying that she's "nothing" doesn't cut it. You know and we all know how that comes across.

Some people would say that by casting Halle, Disney was "pandering" to certain groups. But here's the kicker. If Disney went with safe casting with Zendaya or someone who "looks" more like Ariel from 1989 in hopes of earning more money, that could be considered even more pandering.

Maybe they went with the most talented singer. That’s really what the role demands.

 

[Jedijax719]

Maybe they went with the most talented singer. That’s really what the role demands.

That's exactly what they did (despite so many out there thinking that they were pandering).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That's exactly what they did (despite so many out there thinking that they were pandering).

No actual famous singers available?

And Disney always panders..to the bankers!!

 

[Chi84]

That's exactly what they did (despite so many out there thinking that they were pandering).

I think so too. Going with an established star doesn’t guarantee success of the movie - and it’s important to give opportunities to new talent.

 

[Jedijax719]

No actual famous singers available?

And Disney always panders..to the bankers!!

And I am sure in their mind, they thought they were doing that too. It didn't pan out. But I think they thought they would be doing so. But not just the bankers.

According to several here, they made decisions that were already known to cause financial loss. Those who know better knows that isn't the case.

 

[DKampy]

I think so too. Going with an established star doesn’t guarantee success of the movie - and it’s important to give opportunities to new talent.

Besides Chloe X Halle is one of the top R&B acts in the last 5 years… it’s just that a lot of us is not in the demographic

 

[Chi84]

Besides Chloe X Halle is one of the top R&B acts in the last 5 years… it’s just that a lot of us is not in the demographic

That's so true.

 

[LittleBuford]

This movie is the 322 highest grossing movie domestically adjusted…

But it did pass basic instinct and has Wayne’s world in its sights

Both of those are pretty major movies that are still remembered today! I’m not sure you’re making the point you think you are.

 

[LittleBuford]

And nothing against her, but canvassing the other “live” action films she’s essentially one of the first unknown actors to play a lead in one of these films.

Was Mena Massoud better known?

 

[LittleBuford]

Besides Chloe X Halle is one of the top R&B acts in the last 5 years… it’s just that a lot of us is not in the demographic

I wouldn’t bother. He argued in another thread that no-one would know who Beyoncé is in ten years’ time, so I don’t think he has a reliable sense of who’s big these days (and Beyoncé’s been massive since the ’90s).

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

It didn’t “succeed” domestically…

I was going to make a similar comment, it’s done OK domestically but I wouldn’t call it a success.

currently TLM is at $264m domestically
Aladdin did $355m domestically
Beauty and the Beast did $504m domestically
Lion King did $543m domestically

It’s still about 25% lower than Aladdin and less than half what the Lion King pulled in. It’ll probably reach the low end of the domestic forecasts, so it’s not a failure, but it’s probably going to end up $200m below the high end of the domestic forecasts so I wouldn’t call it a success either.

 

[TP2000]

It will pull up. @TP2000 alone will buy enough tickets for his family to make up the difference.

I've only got seven (7) tickets to buy for the Del Mar Cinepolis. Plus a seatside bar tab of champagne sparkling wine and cheesecake for us, that Mr. Warner won't see any profit from.

But I fully expect the rest of America and the Free World to all pull their weight. Thus, my bold prediction of it being the movie of the summer.

I'm also now expecting my front door to be inundated with Barbies and Kens this Halloween, which is based on pure science.

"Can I talk to a doctor? I need a clicky pen, and a sharp thing."

 

[LittleBuford]

I was going to make a similar comment, it’s done OK domestically but I wouldn’t call it a success.

currently TLM is at $264m domestically
Aladdin did $355m domestically
Beauty and the Beast did $504m domestically
Lion King did $543m domestically

It’s still about 25% lower than Aladdin and less than half what the Lion King pulled in. It’ll probably reach the low end of the domestic forecasts, so it’s not a failure, but it’s probably going to end up $200m below the high end of the domestic forecasts so I wouldn’t call it a success either.

I honestly don’t understand how anyone could look at this table and not consider the film’s domestic performance significantly better than “OK”:

Domestic Box Office For 2023

www.boxofficemojo.com

 

[GimpYancIent]

She’s not a singer…
…but half the planet had seen her in 9 movies…

So she and Olaf pocketed a cool billion plus for Disney…
That’s a smart way to go about these…if they must?

You know who would have made major bank as Ariel?
Taylor swift. I’m only half kidding

 

[Angel Ariel]

No actual famous singers available?

And Disney always panders..to the bankers!!

Who are the age Ariel is supposed to be? Taylor Swift isn’t pulling off Ariel’s age at this point.

Again - while adults may not know her for her name to pull them to theatres - kids did know her.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I wonder how many movie goers wish they could get their money back and spend it watching something else?

 

[MisterPenguin]

I've only got seven (7) tickets to buy for the Del Mar Cinepolis. Plus a seatside bar tab of champagne sparkling wine and cheesecake for us

Sir, it doesn't matter that you dressed your cats in tuxedos, you can't bring them into the theater with you.

 

[LittleBuford]

Who are the age Ariel is supposed to be? Taylor Swift isn’t pulling off Ariel’s age at this point.

Again - while adults may not know her for her name to pull them to theatres - kids did know her.

I think we should question the very idea that the person cast needed to be famous anyway. There are plenty of successful films with breakout actors, just as there plenty of flops with megastars.