Was anybody surprised that a Disney remake was going to clean up at the box office? Aside from awaiting the series finales of both Succession and Barry, this weekend belonged to the House of Mouse.

The (Not So) Little Mermaid

As per Box Office Mojo, this weekend, The Little Mermaid made $117.5 Million domestically and $68.3 Million internationally, totaling $185.8 Million in total in the worldwide box office. Clearly, any detractors were not able to keep fans away from seeing Disney’s latest live-action remake. In our review, reviewer Jessica Lancaster said:

Ariel In The Little Mermaid
(L-R): Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), and Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Little Mermaid was one of my favorite Disney animated films growing up, and I don’t think this live-action version can fully compete with my love and nostalgia for it. That said, viewed as its own standalone feature, the live-action The Little Mermaid still delivers plenty of mermaid magic. I can easily see a new generation of kids getting wrapped up in this story, falling in love with the characters and the music. It may not be my favorite trip under the sea, but it’s still a trip worth taking.

The Machine Fails To Launch At the Box Office

While The Little Mermaid did reasonably well at the box office, the other newcomer this week was Bert Kreischer‘s new movie, The Machine. Which debuted in a disappointing 5th place with only $8.8 Million. In our review, reviewer Russ Weakland said:

Bert Kreischer In The Machine
(L to R) Irina (Iva Babic) and Bert (Bert Kreischer) in Screen Gems’ THE MACHINE.

The Machine is a really fun time at the theater as it serves as an escape and something we haven’t really seen in a long time. It made me a fan of Bert Kreischer and makes you want to see more of what he does in the future and check out what he has done in the past, and if you are already a fan, you’ll love everything he gives you in this film. It captures the spirit of his original story with gloriously violent and profane humor. You’ll likely be getting back in line when the film is done to watch it over again.

Returning players filled out the remainder of the box office, with Fast X in the second place spot, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in the 3rd place spot, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie in the 4th place spot.

Next week will see the arrival of Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Disney’s The Boogeyman. Will either film be able to topple The Little Mermaid as the leader of the box office? We’ll check in next Monday and find out!

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