“Fast X” predictably won a second weekend on top of the mainland China box office, driving its total past the $100 million mark. But the disappointing start for Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid” was the bigger talking point.
{snip} “The Little Mermaid,” Disney’s live-action revision of its classic animation tale was only the second best-performing new release of the weekend and placed fifth on the weekend chart with a poor $2.5 million. It was beaten by new release Japanese animation “Sword Art Online The Movie,” with $3.8 million in fourth place.
{snip} Discussion of “The Little Mermaid,” in which actor and singer Halle Bailey portrays the title role, again raised the question about how willing Chinese audiences are to watch films with prominent Black...