Box office: ‘The Little Mermaid’ soars to more than $125 million Memorial Day debut

The little Mermaid is making laps around the Memorial Day weekend box office competition after earning $38 million on Friday.

Disney’s live-action remake of the iconic animated film is achieving a better-than-expected debut of more than $125 million, the fourth-biggest holiday opening of all time, not adjusted for inflation. Some even show the film earning more than $130 million, but Disney remains cautious and claims a range between $120 million and $130 million.

The little Mermaidwhich earned a promising A CinemaScore, is the first summer tentpole of 2023 to target women, who made up 68% of Friday ticket buyers.

Rob Marshall directs the live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated film. The new Mermaid stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, the spirited young mermaid who makes a dangerous deal with wicked sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) to experience life on dry land and meet the handsome Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). The deal, however, poses a great risk to her father’s watery kingdom.

The cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni and Art Malik.

Bailey’s performance as Ariel received critical praise amid a racist backlash from social media commentators protesting the casting of a black actress in the lead role. Disney insiders don’t expect these protests to hurt the film in North America, but they are waiting to see how the film plays in some overseas markets.

towards the weekend, The little Mermaid he was looking to make $120 million for the four-day vacation.

Last year Top Gun: nonconformist marked the largest Memorial Day opening of all time with $160.5 million, followed by that of 2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End ($153 million) and 2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($152 million). The little Mermaid should snatch fourth place from 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand ($122 million). In fifth place is currently 2013 Fast & Furious 6 ($117 million).

Abroad, Mermaid it’s looking for an $80 million opening through Sunday.

By Universal Fast X it will easily make it to number 2 as it crosses the $500 million mark at the global box office in its first 12 days of release.

Action comedy from Legendary and Screen Gems The car and Robert De Niro’s comedy About my father they are also opening nationwide but shouldn’t be big gains.

The car, from Screen Gems, stars Bert Kreischer and is inspired by the comedian’s stand-up comedian of the same name. Mark Hamill co-stars in the film, which has a four-day $6 million to $7 million opening and a fifth-place finish.

About my father it appears to come in at number 6 with an opening of $5.5 million.