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It was announced earlier today that Disney would release their new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid on digital release beginning July 25. There’s been plenty of debate and ugliness when discussing the actual metric for the success of The Little Mermaid. Terms like “racist” have been used without much thought. Despite what we think individually, the film ultimately made more than it cost to make and will bring in a hefty sum once it’s released on Blue-Ray/ DVD in September. However, it was sorely defeated by its competition on the big screen, and one particular rival isn’t done fighting. Right on the heels of Disney’s announcement came Universal’s acknowledgment that their competitive ace-in-the-hole Super Mario Bros movie will also release soon.
READ MORE: Disney’s The Little Mermaid Digital and DVD Release Dates Announced
Universal Picture’s partnership with Nintendo and Illumination to bring the famous video-game brothers back to the big screen was the right choice, as Super Mario Bros, which hit theatres in April, has grossed well over $1 billion globally. This is in obvious contrast to Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which premiered in May, and her “floundering” $527 million. Although we can expect Ariel and company to bring a bit more bacon home to the table once the DVD releases, Universal Pictures intends to hold tight to their reigning success by releasing Super Mario Bros for streaming beginning August 3 (source Scott Gustin Twitter).
The Super Mario. Bros. Movie starts streaming on Peacock on August 3. pic.twitter.com/ECGB4VGu7U
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 6, 2023
The classic Nintendo game story was bound to be a smashing success featuring well-known actors such as Seth Rogan, Charlie Day, Chris Pratt, and Jack Black. Accompanied by excellent marketing, including a viral performance by Jack Black of his personally written love song to Princess Peach, it was a no-brainer that Super Mario Bros would be stiff competition for anything Disney decided to release this year. Short and sweet, the Super Mario Bros gave viewers a fun look into the world of their favorite video game without all of the external chatter. As people will find anything wrong with everything these days, Super Mario Bros did experience a faulty attempt at sabotage and controversy. Some fans initially called to “cancel” the film given that Chris Pratt utilized an Italian accent to portray, get this, an Italian plumber, but that didn’t stop the movie from crushing at the box office.
READ MORE: Why Did “The Little Mermaid” Fail?
Honestly, the release of Disney’s The Little Mermaid so quickly to digital and DVD shocked many. But as ticket sales have been going out with the tide, it makes sense that Disney would make one last effort to cash in. The decision to release Super Mario Bros for streaming on Peacock is a bit more surprising, as ticket sales have remained steady for the film. It would seem, as it where, people prefer their Princesses animated!
Fans of Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and the rest of the gang can being streaming Super Mario Bros. beginning August 3 on Peacock. That’s right you can hangout with Mario and Donky Kong as they attempt to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser safely from the comfort of your living room without buying the movie!
Credit: Universal
As Super Mario Bros has been released digitally for a while to at-home viewers, it’ll be interesting to see how it performs as a bait for new Peacock subscribers compared to Disney’s The Little Mermaid digital/ Blu-ray/ DVD release. Especially considering that at some point, The Little Mermaid will release for free on Disney+. It is doubtful that the release of Disney’s latest live-action remake would be competitive when comparing the draw of new subscribers against the classic video game frontman. In shorter words Princess Peach reigns supreme over Princess Ariel, and it doesn’t look like that will not change thanks to Universal’s more than coicidental timing.
Credit: Universal
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Peacock is available for download on most smart devices and is owned by NBC Universal. Other notable titles included on Peacock are Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Universal Monsters, The Office, Shrek, and Puss in Boots. Fans can access over 80,000 hours of movies, tv shows, and more for only $9.99 a month. Peacock also has special offers for students and Amazon Prime members. You’ll need it to catch those mushroom loving plumbers starting next month!
