Disney's Live Action The Little Mermaid

[GimpYancIent]

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Very good. Yes, the Chinese do have historic references to mermaids "Certain fantastical types of "fish", generically referred to as renyu (人魚, "human-fish") is alleged to occur in various parts of China according to the Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas, 4th century BC). It is mentioned in the Bei Shan Jing ("Classic of the Northern mountains"), Zhong Shan Jing (Central Mountains), and Xi Shan Jing (Western Mountains) sections of this work."

 

[TP2000]

It’s a rather poor joke given that your imagined 2028 lineup would include some wonderful examples of architecture as well as delicious food.

I wonder why Disney doesn't do it then? Seems like a slam dunk, right?

 

[LittleBuford]

I wonder why Disney doesn't do it then? Seems like a slam dunk, right?

No-one is suggesting that Disney should get rid of their current lineup of countries. My point was merely that your hypothetical alternative, though intended to lampoon the very notion of diversification, would actually result in something very rich and appealing indeed.

 

[TP2000]

No-one is suggesting that Disney should get rid of their current lineup of countries. My point was merely that your hypothetical alternative, though intended to lampoon the very notion of diversification, would actually result in something very rich and appealing indeed.

It was actually intended to lampoon the notion of countries* that currently have horrible human rights records and entrenched corruption.

But if you only saw that list as fabulous architecture and Instagrammable menu offerings, then that's interesting.

*Except for Nunavut, which is just a province with good human rights but is culturally very different from majority Canada. Also very cold.

 

[LittleBuford]

It was actually intended to lampoon the notion of countries* that currently have horrible human rights records for existing citizens today.

But if you only saw that list as fabulous architecture and Instagrammable menu offerings, then that's interesting.

*Except for Nunavut, which is just a province with good human rights but is culturally very different from majority Canada. Also very cold.

Your inclusion of Nunavut, and winking reference to food, might explain why I didn't come away with the notion that you were making a serious point about human rights.

As to my "interesting" perspective, I'm simply following the lead of World Showcase itself. It already features countries whose political and social circumstances are glossed over in favour of a Disneyfied celebration of art and culture.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Well this thread is officially off the rails.

 

[LittleBuford]

Well this thread is officially off the rails.

Hey, at least we’ve moved on from debating whether Mermaid will break even!

 

[celluloid]

It’s a rather poor joke given that your imagined 2028 lineup would include some wonderful examples of architecture as well as delicious food.

The real joke is that you will never see another World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT under BoB Iger's edict without a movie coming out that ties the culture loosely to it.

 

[MrPromey]

The real joke is that you will never see another World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT under BoB Iger's edict without a movie coming out that ties the culture loosely to it.

I was going to make a quip about how they could have opened NOLA-land and put a PATF attraction there since in years past, they've done unusually large setups for creole food and culture* in what is supposedly a celebration for international food.

Then I remembered this year's Mardi Gras Celebration at UNI where they somehow managed to turn it into a complete international FAW knockoff and thought better...

... but not better enough not to post, I guess.


*Not to suggest it doesn't deserve attention because the food is unique and amazing and the cultural heritage of that area is a national jewel - it's just weird that they set that up away from the American Pavilion and with something bigger than the normal food booths for entire countries at an event that's supposedly about the countries.

 

[MrPromey]

Well this thread is officially off the rails.

Thankfully, since that train wasn't headed anywhere good.

 

[TP2000]

Thankfully, since that train wasn't headed anywhere good.

Getting it back on track to nowhere good, Barbie's box office looks like it's going to fly past Mermaid in just one week's time.

With a production budget that was at least half that of Mermaid.

Movie Comparison: The Little Mermaid (2023) vs. Barbie (2023)

Domestic box office comparison between The Little Mermaid (2023) and Barbie (2023)

www.the-numbers.com

 

[Disstevefan1]

Getting it back on track to nowhere good, Barbie's box office looks like it's going to fly past Mermaid in just one week's time.

With a production budget that was at least half that of Mermaid.

View attachment 733290

Movie Comparison: The Little Mermaid (2023) vs. Barbie (2023)

Domestic box office comparison between The Little Mermaid (2023) and Barbie (2023)

www.the-numbers.com

Wow - So Barbie cost 100m to make and let's say 100m to market.
Let's say, Barbie gets half of the gross back into their pockets.
Barbie already cleared about 4.1m.

 

[TP2000]

Yeah, but wait until Japan REALLY kicks in for TLM!

I mean, sure it only did $483,760 last weekend and that was a drop of 48.6% from the previous weekend, but just you wait!

I keep forgetting how much money is pouring in from Japan.

I will print out this chart of Mermaid's Japan box office and put it on my fridge, then get a blue Sharpie to keep the graph going each week.

Onward and upward.

The Little Mermaid (リトル・マーメイド) - Financial Information Japan

Financial analysis of The Little Mermaid (リトル・マーメイド) (2023) at the Japan Box Office, including earnings and profitability.

www.the-numbers.com

 

[LittleBuford]

Getting it back on track to nowhere good, Barbie's box office looks like it's going to fly past Mermaid in just one week's time.

With a production budget that was at least half that of Mermaid.

View attachment 733290

Movie Comparison: The Little Mermaid (2023) vs. Barbie (2023)

Domestic box office comparison between The Little Mermaid (2023) and Barbie (2023)

www.the-numbers.com

Having seen them both, I honestly enjoyed Mermaid more, not because I think it’s the better film, but because it resonates more with me personally. I’m much less interested in how they do at the box office than in how they do with me.

 

[DKampy]

I keep forgetting how much money is pouring in from Japan.

I will print out this chart of Mermaid's Japan box office and put it on my fridge, then get a blue Sharpie to keep the graph going each week.

Onward and upward.

View attachment 733294

The Little Mermaid (リトル・マーメイド) - Financial Information Japan

Financial analysis of The Little Mermaid (リトル・マーメイド) (2023) at the Japan Box Office, including earnings and profitability.

www.the-numbers.com

yeah…so what.Barbie has blown past most movies released this year, but you sure enjoy pointing out with glee how it compares to Disney movies

 

[TP2000]

yeah…so what.Barbie has blown past most movies released this year, but you sure enjoy pointing out with glee how it compares to Disney movies

Not so much glee, as rather morbid interest. Especially compared to the vast difference in production budgets between tent poles like Barbie and Mermaid aimed at a younger skewing female demographic. And then eventually what Disney does to correct these huge mistakes going forward and contain their costs.

Because this summer has been a disaster for Disney and this level of financial performance is entirely unsustainable for them.

 

[TP2000]

By this same weekend in its release, BATB had already banked $93M (or 85% of its $110M+ total) in Japan.

But I’m sure the WOM is going to kick in soon for TLM - and oh, oh, the merchandise sales!

Really??? I hadn't thought to look at individual overseas box office compared to previous live action remakes, but that makes sense.

The overseas box office is really Mermaid's undoing financially. For whatever reason, foreign audiences just did not want to see Mermaid in big numbers. The glaring discrepancy between American box office and overseas box office is the real story here. Very odd.

 

[DKampy]

Not so much glee, as rather morbid interest. Especially compared to the vast difference in production budgets between tent poles like Barbie and Mermaid aimed at a younger skewing female demographic. And then eventually what Disney does to correct these huge mistakes going forward and contain their costs.

I just don’t think it is comparable… Barbie has become an event film… the likes we have not felt in awhile…I believe there are people who are seeing Barbie who never go to the theater due to FOMO…. I believe the demos are different… The Little Mermaid had the young girl demo… while Barbie demo was women of all generations… actually just going by my screenings of each movie

 

[TP2000]

Actually not only not odd, but entirely predicted since when the film was announced.

The casting was always going to be controversial internationally (especially in the Asian markets) and it has played out exactly as many predicted, if not worse.

Disney knew this and went ahead anyway (one can speculate to why) and will burn through investor cash yet again.

One can say it is disappointing, but certainly not surprising.

I suppose you are right. I've traveled extensively in Japan, big cities and small towns, and they can be a very racist and prejudicial country.

I've been in a stylish cocktail bar in Tokyo and seen the manager boldly turn away Chinese tourists, even though they let me (WASPy American man) and some nice German ladies in and there were seats available. They just refused to seat Chinese nationals. And it's legal.

There are many small stores in Tokyo and Osaka that have signs that say "No Foreigners" or "Japanese Only", which means if you are foreign (white or latino or black) you aren't allowed in and may not shop there. Smaller hotels and restaurants also follow the same race-based refusal of service. This is entirely legal.

I guess at least they do try to be sort of polite and say "sorry" before they don't let you in because of your race?

 

[lazyboy97o]

This film had an even more unique challenge as taking a beloved Disney character and swapping its race was always going to be an issue especially for the strong Disney markets in Asia.

Other films featuring black actors have obviously done well in those markets (we’ll put aside Disney’s controversy of removing the black actor from the Chinese Star Wars poster), but race-swapping a classic Disney character is an entirely different dynamic for these international markets.

Again, people can be disheartened by the film’s international box office, but nobody (when being intellectually honest) can feign surprise or bewilderment to the cause.

So now we’re back to this being an expected outcome? Not that long ago people in this thread where mocking this as just a lame excuse.