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The need to discount comes amid a series of underwhelming releases. The live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid" exemplifies this failure. With a hefty production budget estimated at $250 million, plus an additional $100–150 million for marketing, expectations were high. However, the film grossed less than required to break even, with worldwide earnings unlikely to surpass $700 million—a figure considered the minimum for profitability in such productions. Consequently, "The Little Mermaid" is regarded as a financial disappointment and a reflection of waning audience interest in Disney's live-action remakes, which critics have increasingly rejected as woke and superficial.