As curtains lifted across theaters nationwide this Memorial Day weekend, Disney's live-action remake "The Little Mermaid" swam to the top of the box office charts, netting $95.5 million. Despite failing to break the coveted $100 million mark, the underwater adventure still emerged as one of the top five Memorial Day weekend openings of all time. Other notable contenders in this big screen battle included "Fast X," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," "The Machine," "About My Father," and "Kandahar."
"The Little Mermaid," while not outperforming other Disney live-action remakes like "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King," did manage to outdo 2019's "Aladdin" by 4%. Internationally, it reeled in an additional $68.3 million, contributing to a global debut of $163.8 million.
The Universal action sequel "Fast X" secured second place in its second week, despite a significant drop of 66% from its opening weekend, while "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" continued to flex its muscles in its fourth week, placing third in the box office.
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" defied expectations and broke records in its eighth week, grossing $6.2 million domestically for the weekend and securing its spot as the #2 all time among animated films, just behind 2018’s "Incredibles 2." This Universal's animated adaptation has also impressively pulled in $717.8 million overseas, and $1.27 billion globally.
On the other hand, films like "The Machine," "About My Father," and "Kandahar" offered a change of pace from the heavy hitters, with each exceeding or meeting their pre-release projections.
In conclusion, this Memorial Day weekend's box office was a testament to the dynamic and varied cinematic landscape of 2023. Whether it was the nostalgic allure of "The Little Mermaid," the high-octane thrills of "Fast X," or the animated marvel of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," each film found its audience, reminding us that the appeal of the silver screen remains as diverse and enduring as ever.