A ferocious fight broke out at a screening of The Little Mermaid as parents with terrified youngsters demanded a refund. The scrap erupted between a group of adults during a showing of the Disney film in Orlando, Florida.
Video footage of the incident shows the cinemagoers engaging in a heated argument in front of a packed audience, including several children. During the clash, one woman screams "in front of my daughter?!" and appears to throw several punches at another film fan.
A shocked witness can be heard saying “I need a refund, we need a refund" before adding "this is a kids’ movie", according to the Mirror. Shortly after, a man is heard talking to those involved in the fight to try and defuse the tension, however it is unclear was caused the argument.
The live-action remake of the 1989 animated classic was leagues ahead of the competition, garnering $95.5million (£77m) on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates released on Sunday.
The film, starring Halle Bailey as mermaid Princess Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as sea witch Ursula, is expected to reach $117.5million (£95m), making it the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever.
The latest animated-to-live-action remake has followed a slew of others in recent years, including The Lion King and Aladdin, with its box office success making it likely that they will keep coming.
“It works as long as the movies deliver,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “It's great for Disney to be able to go to their archive by reviving these titles that started off as huge hits in the animated realm.”
The Little Mermaid has an A CinemaScore rating, and according to exit polls most viewers were between the ages 25 and 34, rather than children, suggesting nostalgic adults were essential. “The multi-generational component of this cannot be overstated," Dergarabedian said.
However, critics were less enthusiastic, with the film receiving lukwarm reviews. The movie has a current score of 67 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
In her review, Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press called it “a somewhat drab undertaking with sparks of bioluminescence” that like too many of the Disney remakes “prioritized nostalgia and familiarity over compelling visual storytelling.”
She said Bailey, half of the sister R&B duo Chloe x Halle, stole the show with a “lovely presence” and “superb voice."
Directed by Rob Marshall, “The Little Mermaid” tells the story of a sea king's daughter who, desperate to explore human world, cuts a deal with a sea witch to turn her tail into legs.
It features the songs from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, including “Part of Your World" and “Under the Sea,” that helped the original film spark a Disney animation renaissance in the 1990s.
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