Part 9/10:
The stark contrast between these two films underscores a vital point: audience reception is driven by a combination of storytelling quality, marketing effectiveness, and overall engagement, rather than merely race or social narratives. Across the Spider-Verse stands as a testament to this, outperforming expectations and breaking records, while The Little Mermaid, despite its star power and Disney branding, struggles at the box office.
As the industry evaluates these results, it becomes clear that tests of true audience loyalty depend on the content itself. Whether Disney’s The Little Mermaid can turn its fortunes around remains to be seen, but current data suggests that audience enthusiasm and profitability hinge on more than just casting choices or social narratives.