Disney’s live-action film version of The Little Mermaid film topped the Memorial Day weekend box office with $118 million in its opening weekend.

Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey, the film broke the record for the fifth-highest Memorial Day opening in history. Tony Chambers, Disney’s head of distribution, said: “It’s a classic. You ask a lot of women or men of my age and it’s ‘Little Mermaid’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that rank as their favorite animated movie. It’s a story that takes them back to their respective childhoods and this movie is the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to pass that love on to the next generation.”

Bailey’s performance as Ariel has drawn praise from critics; the cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni and Art Malik.

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