Despite many fans' frustration with the increased number of Disney remakes, a large part of Disney's budget goes to live-action. So, what was the budget for Disney's Little Mermaid (2023)?
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How Much Did the Little Mermaid 2023 Live-Action Cost?
As of writing, Disney hasn't released information about the exact budget for The Little Mermaid (2023). It's estimated that the live-action cost around $150 million to make, which will have soared to £200 to account for promotion.
This is around the expected budget for a 2010s-2020s Disney remake.
For instance, Alladin (2019) was around $185 million and Lion King (2019) was around $260 million.
Little Mermaid (2023) unsurprisingly costs a little more than other films due to its most complex technology and CGI.
Of course, fans and critics have mixed reactions about the remake's reliance on technology.
Those who loved the original animated movie might feel that -- like the Lion King live-action -- Little Mermaid feels less soulful due to its excessive CGI.
But since CGI was used a lot, for better or for worse, and since the movie has been marketed so much, its budget comes as no surprise.
How Does the Remake's Budget Compare to the Original?
The 1989 Little Mermaid movie was much less expensive than its successor, but, at a budget of $40 million USD, it was still quite pricey for an animated movie of its time.
The 1986 film The Great Mouse Detective, for instance, had a budget of less than $15 million USD, so The Little Mermaid's cost was a leap at the time.
Of course, $40 million is still considered relatively little compared to the whooping $200 million USD of the remake.
What Is the Anticipated Box Office for the Little Mermaid Remake?
Deadline predicts that Little Mermaid could amass around $110 million USD during its opening weekend with the total box office possibly coming close to $1 billion.
Of course, it's a bit early to give definitive predictions about the movie's earnings, especially given many Disney fans' live-action fatigue.
Many fans of the animated original will undoubtedly go watch the remake in the movie theater but others would rather wait for it to land on Disney+, so it might get less of an audience compared to sequels of beloved fandoms.
How Much Does Little Mermaid (2023) Need to Make to Be Successful?
Generally, as a rule of thumb, a movie needs to make a box office of at least twice its budget in order to be a success.
Therefore, earnings of around $400 - $450 million are the lowest possible box office that would ensure The Little Mermaid (2023) isn't a flop, though current figures suggest it could make much more.
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