Last week, Disney released the live-action reimagining of the studio’s Academy Award-winning animated musical, “The Little Mermaid,” on Disney+ around the world.

Disney has announced that “The Little Mermaid” is the most viewed Disney movie premiere on Disney+ since “Hocus Pocus 2,” and it has garnered 16 million views in its first five days of streaming.  (A view is defined as total stream time divided by runtime.)

Its success on Disney+ follows a strong theatrical run this summer. The movie—which was directed by Rob Marshall and opened over Memorial Day weekend to $118.6 million in North America—was one of the top five highest-grossing films of the summer domestically with nearly $300 million.

“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden from interacting with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

The film stars Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, and also stars Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, and Awkwafina—it is also among 2023’s top ten films worldwide to date, earning $570 million at the global box office.  The film was praised by audiences who gave it an “A” CinemaScore and a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

2023’s “The Little Mermaid” builds on the incredible legacy of the original 1989 classic, continuing to bring the story to life through a treasure trove of merchandising, parks and resorts attractions, video games, books and theatre productions for millions of fans around the world. The release of the live-action “The Little Mermaid” has also given a boost to Disney’s existing library, resulting in tremendous engagement for “The Little Mermaid” animated films on Disney+.

Unfortunately, Disney doesn’t release its streaming viewing figures for its releases regularly, (unless its a hit), so it’s difficult to compare to other film releases.

Did you check out “The Little Mermaid” on Disney+ over the weekend?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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