On one hand, Disney seems to have perfected its arsenal of how to pacify disgruntled fans and outright critics based on how The Little Mermaid has left no space for hate as it ambushed the detractors in three different — and evidently potent — ways.
But some wounds are hard to heal. Though the House of Mouse seems to have amended its relationship with the Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson, turns out memories of the whole debacle are still very fresh and raw in her memories. And apparently, she is not the only one nursing past disappointments as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ending being sneakily revealed months before its release has left fans shell-shocked and reevaluating their existence.
The Little Mermaid skillfully brandishes three neat ways to end the hate against the Disney adaptation
Long before its trailer was released, The Little Mermaid has been battling hate for casting African-American Halle Bailey as Ariel. The release of the trailer added displeasure with Flounder and Sebastian’s CGI design and how the entire clip had little light to offer clear visuals.
But in one day, Disney has won the trust of countless viewers who were on the fence about the film’s merits. It started with the film’s premiere in LA where Bailey left jaws rolling on the floor when she ascended the blue carpet in a The Little Mermaid-inspired custom Valdrin Sahiti dress and has enchanted social media circles where no one can help but gush about her.
Then came the film’s screening wherein almost everyone agreed that it is one stunning adaptation and gave Bailey the biggest chunk of the credit. Even those who did find flaws in the Disney live-action were unanimous in their opinion that the young protagonist of the film continues to shine even when the plot doesn’t.
Any lingering doubt about Bailey or the film further popped like bubbles when Disney released a new clip from The Little Mermaid and soothed complaints ranging from the lighting in the scenes to whether Bailey was the right choice for the film to Sebastian’s CGI design.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s ending was already explicitly revealed in The Holiday Special
Released last year on Disney Plus, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was supposed to explore what the intergalactic team of space heroes were upto between Avengers Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder while setting the stage for Vol. 3. But eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the post-credits scene of the special actually spoils the bittersweet ending of Vol. 3. — which is very different from discovering one of its “new” characters made their MCU debut 10 long years ago.
Safe to say, fans are still oscillating between shock, surprise, rage, and pure confusion after the revelation.
Scarlett Johansson reveals how “sad and disappointed” she was by Disney’s harsh words in wake of Black Widow lawsuit
Back in 2021, the long-time MCU star sued Disney for breaching her contract by releasing Black Widow on Disney Plus, which seriously diminished the size of her paycheck as she was promised a cut of the box office profits. The company also lashed out at the actress for her “callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The two sides eventually settled the lawsuit and reports confirmed that Disney hadn’t burned the bridge with Johansson completely. But she remembers being “sad and disappointed” by the stinging words at the time when everyone was still leading an isolated life because of the pandemic. Thankfully, she had the “most wonderful distraction” that helped her to cope with the situation.
Well, that’s all for today! But there is never an off day in the world of Disney, so meet you all tomorrow with a fresh batch of new reports about what the Mouse House is up to.
