Just days after its addition to the streaming platform, the live-action remake of Disney’s beloved classic, “The Little Mermaid”, has achieved a milestone on Disney Plus. The film has garnered an astounding 16 million views worldwide.
The film has become the most-watched Disney Plus movie premiere in history, based on data from the entertainment giant. The star-studded cast featured Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, and Awkwafina.
The film’s initial trailer, unveiled in March, made a splash by amassing an impressive 108 million global views within its first 24 hours. This viewership figure stands as the highest for any Disney live-action film since 2019’s ‘The Lion King, according to mm news.
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Directed by Rob Marshall, the musical comedy-drama “The Little Mermaid” has made significant waves since its late May theatrical release. With a global box office haul of nearly $570 million, the film has secured a spot in the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2023.
When factoring in its exceptional performance on Disney’s streaming platform, the creatives at Disney can pat themselves on the back for living up to their successful track record with live-action remakes.
The Little Mermaid is a story that garnered popular attention among viewers in the 1990s and 2000s. The story was built around Ariel, a young mermaid, who dreamt of becoming human and living on land.
Against her father King Triton’s wishes, she struck a fateful deal with the witch Ursula, trading her voice for legs. But, she would soon realize she may have miscalculated the risks of her action.
On land, Ariel is given the task of making Prince Eric fall in love with her in just three days without her voice, or face a curse. In the original piece authored by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen in 1837, the prince fell in love with another girl. The only way for Ariel to return to her former self was to stab him to break the curse or forever turn into foam, according to en vols.
She however decided revenge wasn’t the way to go, and accepted her fate of turning into a foam. But, that good deed earned a place to join the metaphorical paradise, “women of the air”.
In the Disney adaptation of Little Mermaid, Ariel enjoys a happy ending, where only a true love’s kiss can save her, ultimately delivering the hoped-for resolution.
