Box Office: 'The Little Mermaid' swims to the top with ₦31 million

The Little Mermaid has made its debut at the Nigerian box office.

Hitting cinemas nationwide on May 26, 2023, Disney’s latest live-action remake quickly grossed ₦31.25 million in two days.

Distributed by Filmone, the movie is showing in 63 locations across the country and has made a total of ₦39. 29 million.

Sitting pretty in second place, the 2023 adaptation is only topped by Fast X with ₦53.9 million which is already seeing a 35% decline in ticket sales.

With three international titles taking the top three slot, Nollywood's The Bride Price continues to do well with moviegoers.

After showing for four weeks, the indigenous movie has made ₦24 million. Reportedly the first Igbo indigenous film to secure the widest theatrical release, the Nigerian movie continues to hold on its own despite stiff competition from Hollywood titles.

Outside Nigeria, The Little Mermaid has quickly dethroned the Vin Diesel's film, which has been showing in theaters for a week, to claim the top spot at the global box office with $209 million.

While the big-budget live-action remake of the classic 1989 animated film is doing well here, the movie is floundering abroad due to mixed reviews, major criticism and a boycott announcement from some Disney fans.

Halle Bailey's casting as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" was met with racist backlash from some internet commenters. The movie has since opened at No. 1 in the US.Disney Business Insider USA

Directed by Disney veteran Rob Marshall (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Mary Poppins Returns), the movie stars Halle Bailey as the titular character and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.

The cast includes Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, and Art Malik.

Watch the trailer: