Even suggesting ‘The Little Mermaid’ could reach a billion at the box office ends up getting mercilessly drowned

We’re a little over a month away from the release of The Little Mermaid, and the latest in Disney’s never-ending production line of live-action remakes has never been able to fully shake the bad buzz that’s dogged it at every turn.

If it isn’t the ongoing furor over Halle Bailey playing the title role that’s led to plenty of unsavory takes, it’s the godawful CGI that continues to be an issue with virtually every single one of the Mouse House’s major blockbusters, or even the fact it’s the longest-ever update of a classic animation causing potential paying customers to wince at the mere prospect of sitting through over two hours’ worth of needless exposition and additional scenes.

In the end, none of that matters in the slightest should The Little Mermaid swim to a mighty total at the box office, but even that isn’t guaranteed. While both Mulan and Cruella were heavily affected by the pandemic and Pinocchio didn’t sniff the inside of a theater, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the Disney remakes have been losing a lot of steam recently.

With that in mind, even asking the question as to whether or not it can reach the fabled 10-figure threshold has ignited an online riot.

Only four of the big budget retreads have ever earned more than a billion dollars globally, and if we discount Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland because it was a bizarre fluke, then The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast‘s status as fellow members of the club outlines that it’s the biggest, best, and most beloved OGs that tend to fare strongest at the multiplex. The Little Mermaid definitely fits that bill, so it certainly can’t be ruled out as a result.