“The Little Mermaid” pre-ticket sales are currently showing the movie could be the worst-performing Disney release in 2023 in China with current sales sitting at $13,000 after 3 days of presales ahead of the opening on May 25.
Chinese box officer observers like Luiz Fernando tweeted on Sunday that ticket sales for the live-action remake of the popular animated 1989 classic film suggested there’s a lack of interest in China from moviegoers, ComicBookResources.com reported.
“Meanwhile in China’s BoxOffice, ticket pre-sales for TheLittleMermaid show no signs of reaction,” Fernando tweeted. “Disney liveaction finished SUN with a scary $13k total after 3 days of pre-sales, for the whole MAY 25-28 period.”
Meanwhile in #China’s #BoxOffice, ticket pre-sales for #TheLittleMermaid show no signs of reaction.#Disney liveaction finished SUN with a scary $13k total after 3 days of pre-sales, for the whole MAY 25-28 period.
Could be the worst opening ever for Hollywood tentpole in China. pic.twitter.com/EMCDjyDFYP— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) May 21, 2023
“Could be the worst opening ever for Hollywood tentpole in China,” he added.
Hollywood has struggled to get films released in China since the pandemic with a virtual ban on films from the West until the country lifted its stringent “Zero-COVID” policy and amid reports that theaters were on the verge of bankruptcy, the outlet noted.
The last live-action adaptation to hit Chinese theaters was Disney’s “Cruella” in 2021, the report noted. The film grossed $1.6 million on opening weekend and ended up making $24 million during its run in China.
At this point, it is still unclear how Disney’s mermaid film will do worldwide, but early movie reviews in the U.S. have been mixed.
Variety contributor Simon Thompson wrote, “Endearing but uneven, [“The Little Mermaid”] doesn’t deliver the magic of the animated classic, but there are plenty of creative touches from Rob Marshall to float the audience’s boats. Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy are great. Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina provide solid comic relief.”
Kirsten Acuna from Insider said the film is “filled with a few great performances from Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, but it’s a mostly paint-by-numbers remake that isn’t as good as the animated masterpiece.”
While Los Angeles Times critic Justin Chang wrote, “What’s on-screen too often feels like wan, second-rate imitation, and the few differences seem motivated less by a spirit of imagination than one of joyless anxiety.”
“The Little Mermaid” hits theaters on May 26.
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.
Related: Early Reviews Of Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Aren’t Great: ‘Mostly Paint-By-Numbers Remake’