The Little Mermaid has been in theaters now for two whole weeks, and although the movie exceeded expectations in the U.S., it’s fallen flat overseas. Initially, that was attributed to the racial backlash, but foul play might not be the only culprit. Speaking of foul play, Disney’s former heavy-hitter Johnny Depp is celebrating his birthday today, and in honor of that, the actor’s so-called “close friends” have come forward with the latest news on whether we can expect the Pirates of the Caribbean legend to return to the franchise after being dropped faster than you can say “where’s the rum?”
And because it’s Friday, you deserve some refreshing good news to even out all the noisy drama happening around us. We’d like to introduce you to Superman Sammy, the bravest young boy you’ll ever meet.
Racism was initially to blame, but could The Little Mermaid’s failure overseas actually have to do with competition?
After The Hollywood Reporter suggested The Little Mermaid’s failure to captivate audiences in Korea and China was due to racist backlash, moviegoers in that part of the world were quick to shoot the notion down. As it turns out, The Roundup: No Way Out starring Ma Dong-Seok was released the week after Halle Bailey debuted as Ariel, which is now being attributed to the real reason TLM flopped overseas. That being said, like most things in life, the conversation isn’t so black and white, as our very own Apeksha Bagchi so expertly laid out.
Johnny Depp’s potential return to Pirates of the Caribbean is answered by sources close to the actor
After Amber Heard claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse in her explosive 2018 Washington Post op-ed, Disney dropped Johnny Depp like a sack of potatoes. Just like that, the actor’s future as Captain Jack Sparrow was no more, something Depp himself said under oath he felt “betrayed” by. However, after Disney’s president Sean Bailey cracked the door open for the actor’s possible return, The Daily Mail revealed that “close friends” of Depp say he has no interest in taking Disney’s call; apparently, he’s still stung by having to publicly walk the plank.
Disney helps Superman Sammy’s dreams come true after the young boy receives a life-changing heart operation
Most people aren’t born having to fight for their lives. Unfortunately for five-year-old Sammy Jones, he has experienced five open-heart surgeries in his short lifetime. Today, he’s being awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Disney World as a celebration for proving to the world what courage (and a real superhero) looks like. Having regained his full health, Sammy is headed to the Orlando, Florida resort courtesy of the Special Wish Foundation, according to WLWT5 News. However, there’s a catch. Because the trip doesn’t include paid time off and the Jones’ family is still recovering from years of medical bills, you can help them out with a donation via their CashApp or Venmo.
As someone who is also headed to Disney World soon, I would love nothing more than to see Superman Sammy in person and tell him how much of an inspiration he is. At the very least, see his smile from afar. At the very, very least, Superman Sammy deserves a carefree day at the Most Magical Place on Earth.