Disney's Live Action The Little Mermaid

[LittleBuford]

I do think it's kind of funny that the standards for Disney remakes are so low that TLM's whopping 68% RT score is considered some kind of critical success. Lol

The critical response to the remakes has always been lukewarm. None of us has claimed otherwise.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I’ll just let this rest. When someone results to personal insults it means their argument is out of gas.

I understand that you have some type of attachment to this film and I think that’s fine.

I have a great deal of respect for you Buddy I do see how it can aggravating that I am seemingly dancing on this movies grave.

It’s just I can’t help but respond back when I post the actual facts and numbers and then someone wants to argue the complete opposite.

I would be happy to continue a fact based discussion with you however if we can’t do that without name calling and de-railing the thread then I would just prefer to drop it.

Again I have a great deal of respect for you and your opinion and I am overjoyed that you like this movie. I hope it does make a Billion and makes me look like an idiot. Halle deserved better with her performance.

There have been no personal insults. Would like to know exactly what you interpret as a personal insult.

It is slightly hysterical, however, that you think you are "dancing on a movie's grave", when the movie is nowhere near dead. It is, in fact (since you want to discuss facts, all of a sudden) the number one movie in America right now and it has only been open for a few days.

The film is a hit. I am terribly sorry to disappoint you.

 

[Ghost93]

Now that the initial release wave of movie goers have gone word of mouth and good experience seeing it will drive the numbers now. How many folks are interested in seeing it but will be satisfied to wait for D+? 80 mil + in marketing is one big push to get it to where it is now is a strong effort. However, marketing will not be a driver in continued success now that it is released.

While word of mouth is good, I fear that competition from other movies in June might hurt legs.

I think The Little Mermaid, Across the Spiderverse, Elemental, The Flash and Indiana Jones 5 will all cannibalize each other at the box office in June. These movies should be spread out more.

 

[GimpYancIent]

While word of mouth is good, I fear that competition from other movies in June might hurt legs.

I think The Little Mermaid, Across the Spiderverse, Elemental, The Flash and Indiana Jones 5 will all cannibalize each other at the box office in June. These movies should be spread out more.

Yes, more and diverse choices for the audiences to see will definitely take interest + viewership away from TLM.

 

[Trauma]

There have been no personal insults. Would like to know exactly what you interpret as a personal insult.

It is slightly hysterical, however, that you think you are "dancing on a movie's grave", when the movie is nowhere near dead. It is, in fact (since you want to discuss facts, all of a sudden) the number one movie in America right now and it has only been open for a few days.

The film is a hit. I am terribly sorry to disappoint you.

Now you’re just being disingenuous. You know being the #1 movie in America on opening weekend doesn’t mean a thing.

What good is that if it goes on to lose $100m?

It was also the biggest failure ever for Disney in some countries.

So is Disney no longer a global entertainment company?

Now if it’s the #1 film in America for the next couple weeks that WILL mean something.

That remains to be seen.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I'll say it again "that's a fail in my eyes."
Did they make a bad movie? Maybe, that's all pretty subjective. Again, it's a failure in my eyes if it doesn't profit. . Sometimes people can like movies that don't resonate and they fail financially.

Apparently for reasons I don’t understand, I can’t respond to this with basic truths.

I will say no, you can’t call it a Disney failure if the audience failed.

 

[Trauma]

Apparently for reasons I don’t understand, I can’t respond to this with basic truths.

I will say no, you can’t call it a Disney failure if the audience failed.

Ok so this is a truly interesting answer.

What does this mean exactly ?

 

[CaptainMickey]

While word of mouth is good, I fear that competition from other movies in June might hurt legs.

I think The Little Mermaid, Across the Spiderverse, Elemental, The Flash and Indiana Jones 5 will all cannibalize each other at the box office in June. These movies should be spread out more.

The crazy thing about those competing June movies is that Disney Owns Indy 5 and Elemental and shares some rights to Spiderverse. So someone at Disney has some explaining to do why this was a good idea for all those movies. Maybe Disney needs to bring Kareem Daniel back to clean up this release schedule.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think this particular discussion is at an impasse, and continuing it seems pointless. Some here have deemed profitability the only legitimate measure of success, and nothing will convince them otherwise. I wish we could focus on the film itself, because there’s much to say about it.

 

[MisterPenguin]

You can’t find a bigger Disney shill than this women.

You can tell how delusional she is blaming it’s failure on trolls.

*I* am a shill.

She is insane.

 

[Disney Irish]

The crazy thing about those competing June movies is that Disney Owns Indy 5 and Elemental and shares some rights to Spiderverse. So someone at Disney has some explaining to do why this was a good idea for all those movies. Maybe Disney needs to bring Kareem Daniel back to clean up this release schedule.

Kareem Daniel was the one who set most of these release dates. Disney just isn't readjust them after he was let go.

 

[Trauma]

*I* am a shill.

She is insane.

I’m very dumb Penguin, I can admit that and be ok with it.

Are you correcting my grammar or saying this lady is a nut job.

I’m ok with it either way, just looking for clarity.

 

[jrice]

I have been watching and reading comments about this movie for a couple of months. This movie will not break even period. It just cannot and I will give a some brief points why that is the case. Before I get into that, my wife and daughter saw this movie and she said it was good (but as good as the original). Objectively...

1. Yes, it made over $100MM but if you consider inflation and compare it to Aladdin (2019) you simply cannot. Average ticket prices were $9 and today it ~$12. You need to compare ticket sales and it seems less people attended this movie.
2. It is another Disney remake and the audience simply does not want these movies anymore.
3. It is too long! My daughter (4) was getting antsy around the 1.5hr mark and it still had another 45mins to go.
4. The marketing of this movie is a lot ~$80MM if not more ($250MM to make it). Plus, who are they marketing this movie to?
5. As others said above, the competition of upcoming movies will drive ticket sales down.
6. It did poorly internationally.
7. Disney has lost trust with their audience due to previous movies (~3 years) and their agenda (Disney Executives told us the narrative they will be pushing and that irked a lot of people).
8. Lastly, will it have repeat viewers? Not likely because of Disney+ and they continue to lose money on their platform. Subscribers are going down too (lost 300,000 in N.A.)

Again, I want Disney to be successful but if they do not change their strategy (which I think they will but it is going to take two years to see those changes) quickly they will be in a world of hurt (which has started).

Note: For N.A., Disney only receives roughly 51% of the box office. In Europe, 20% in China and around 40% in other countries at best. The Asian markets are a huge money maker and since it has not open in Japan yet. If it fails there, then this movie is another loss for Disney.

 

[DKampy]

You can’t find a bigger Disney shill than this women.

You can tell how delusional she is blaming it’s failure on trolls.

Does anyone take her seriously… she is the same woman who claimed Super Mario would flop because it does not have a big enough fan base even I know the fan base is huge and I have no interest in Mario

 

[BlakeW39]

Does anyone take her seriously… she is the same woman who claimed Super Mario would flop because it does not have a big enough fan base even I know the fan base is huge and I have no interest in Mario

yikes

 

[Jedijax719]

Does anyone take her seriously… she is the same woman who claimed Super Mario would flop because it does not have a big enough fan base even I know the fan base is huge and I have no interest in Mario

I like her videos. I think she is very insightful about the movies themselves. But as for numbers.....not so much.

When I was young in the 80's until the early 90's (not young after that I guess lol), I used to very diligently follow music charts. The charts were based on both airplay and sales, but until soundscan and the division of charts, they matched up very closely. I never cared about how a particular song or album did in other countries. I also didn't care how a song sold. If it was a hit on the charts, it was a hit period. I suppose that is why I don't worry about how a movie does in most other countries. Different culture, different wants and needs. Even if there IS any kind of cultural "differences", it is what it is and that's that. I leave the world wide to die-hard analysts and the studios themselves. The domestic is what I personally follow.

 

[Tha Realest]

While word of mouth is good, I fear that competition from other movies in June might hurt legs.

I think The Little Mermaid, Across the Spiderverse, Elemental, The Flash and Indiana Jones 5 will all cannibalize each other at the box office in June. These movies should be spread out more.

i made this point elsewhere. The release calendar is INCREDIBLY crowded. It’s like no one wanted to open a film after June. If TLM’s saving grace was continued domestic box office success, Spidey’s going to change that. I think it’s going to eat up a bunch of IMAX and 3D screens as well.

From a marketing standpoint, ELEMENTAL comes out in two weeks. They’re going to have to shift focus, like, yesterday. Pixar folks have to be incredibly demoralized at how their films have been treated. It too cost $200M. Each and every marketing dollar that the TLM folks might want for continued signal boosting is going to be needed for Elemental, and then Indy.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I’m very dumb Penguin, I can admit that and be ok with it.

Well if that's the case, why do you keep arguing with people over whether this damn film can already be declared a flop!

 

[Trauma]

i made this point elsewhere. The release calendar is INCREDIBLY crowded. It’s like no one wanted to open a film after June. If TLM’s saving grace was continued domestic box office success, Spidey’s going to change that. I think it’s going to eat up a bunch of IMAX and 3D screens as well.

From a marketing standpoint, ELEMENTAL comes out in two weeks. They’re going to have to shift focus, like, yesterday. Pixar folks have to be incredibly demoralized at how their films have been treated. It too cost $200M. Each and every marketing dollar that the TLM folks might want for continued signal boosting is going to be needed for Elemental, and then Indy.

If you look at projections for Elemental they may just give up on it and put that money towards Indie.

 

[Ghost93]

If you look at projections for Elemental they may just give up on it and put that money towards Indie.

Which is a ridiculous waste of money. There is no valid reason for Disney to release three $200+ films within the span of a month, one movie in late June and nothing in August or September.

Elemental should have gotten the Haunted Mansion's July release date, and the Haunted Mansion should have been moved to late September/early October to cash in on Halloween.