Disney’s 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid earned approximately $233 million worldwide at the box office.
The film was produced during a major revival of Disney feature animation. It performed strongly in theaters after its November 1989 release, earning about $84 million in the United States and Canada during its initial release and substantially more worldwide through later releases and reissues.
Its commercial success mattered because it helped restore confidence in Disney’s animated-feature division. The film’s reception, songs, characters, and financial performance led into the period often called the Disney Renaissance, which included Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
Box-office totals can vary slightly between sources because some figures include re-releases or use different accounting methods. The commonly cited worldwide total for the original film is approximately $233 million, not the much larger total associated with the 2023 adaptation.