The Little Mermaid's live-action remake trailer has broken the Internet, amassing a record-breaking amount of views for a 2020s live-action Disney remake. The film, which hits theaters on May 26, is a live-action reinterpretation of Disney's 1989 animated Howard Ashman and Alan Menken musical, which remains one of their most beloved properties. Halle Bailey will play the teenage mermaid Ariel, whose love for the human Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) causes her to trade her voice to the sea with Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) for a pair of legs. The film will also feature new songs penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is reporting that the trailer for The Little Mermaid has drawn a huge amount of attention. Between network airings and Internet streams, it has been viewed over 108 million times across the globe. This is more than any other Disney live-action remake since The Lion King in 2019.
The Little Mermaid Could Pull Disney's Live-Action Remakes Back From the Brink
One of the most lucrative moves that Disney has made in recent years was invest in live-action remakes. The recent glut began slow with 2014's Maleficent and 2015's Cinderella, which were solid hits. However, the tide didn't fully turn until 2017's Beauty and the Beast earned over $1 billion, becoming the second highest-grossing film of the year worldwide.
After that point, Disney began churning out remakes that were commercial hits, if not always critical darlings. This roster includes The Lion King, which became the second highest-grossing film of 2019 and Aladdin (which also made over $1 billion). However, things began to take a turn in late 2019 when Dumbo and the sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil failed to make a splash at the box office.
Throughout the 2020s, Disney live-action films have largely been relegated to Disney+ releases like Mulan, Cruella, and the critically reviled Pinocchio. The increased buzz around The Little Mermaid could be an indication that the global audience is hungry for another big theatrical outing from Disney's live-action branch. This is one of their bigger titles, so it makes sense to release it theatrically, but if the film hits it big at the box office, there may be an even stronger second wave of remakes on the horizon following confirmed upcoming titles including 2024's Snow White.
Source: THR
