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Latest Fantasy News: ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ review-bombing sparks concerns of similar treatment for ‘The Little Mermaid’ as ‘Honor Among Thieves’ returns to the spotlight

The trolls are coming for 'The Little Mermaid.'

Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King as Ariel and Prince Eric in Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'
Screengrab via Disney

It’s been just over a month since Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves arrived in theaters, but the delightful fantasy flick continues to garner high praise from viewers.

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Unfortunately, that praise isn’t reflected in the film’s box office take home. It was profitable upon its cinematic release, but the flick simply didn’t pull in the kind of money one might expect from such a highly-rated release. Despite this, it’s hanging onto relevance online as viewers look forward to the flick’s streaming release. 

Peter Pan & Wendy is already available to watch on streaming, leaving fantasy fans with something to enjoy while they wait for Honor Among Thieves. Or, for those who’ve already enjoyed the Chris Pine-led film, The Little Mermaid, which is quickly approaching its official release date. The upcoming film is highly anticipated by fans of the original, but review-bombing around Peter Pan & Wendy — a film that’s already faced racist pushback to its diverse casting — doesn’t bode well for the similarly progressive Little Mermaid

At least we have a recent Google Doodle to ease our minds — or perhaps prompt some tears. A late April tribute to the late Alan Rickman hit fans right in the feels, as they looked back on the legacy of the Harry Potter favorite. 

Google’s Alan Rickman tribute sends fans spiraling into sentimentality

Hans Gruber
Die Hard

The world lost Alan Rickman in 2016, and the many lives the actor touched — both in real life and via his wide range of releases — continue to look back on his career fondly. Rickman’s stellar portrayal of Harry Potter’s Severus Snape continues to be a highlight of the cinematic adaptations, and his work in the Die Hard franchise, as well as so many others, ensures he’ll continue to be remembered for decades to come. A recent Google Doodle tribute to the actor only underlined this fact more, as it wrung heartfelt responses from a wave of longtime Rickman fans. 

Troll treatment of Peter Pan & Wendy doesn’t bode well for The Little Mermaid

The cast of Peter Pan & Wendy
Photo via Disney Plus

Peter Pan & Wendy has only been available to stream for a few days now, but the trolls are already working hard to shred the film on review aggregation sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. No one is required to love the film, of course, but the massively vitriolic reaction seems a bit too convenient to be more than blatant bigotry — with a few genuine reviews mixed in — and the film’s low audience score can’t help but feel like a precursor of similar hate, which is all but guaranteed to hit The Little Mermaid when it releases on May 26.

Honor Among Thieves maintains popularity, despite low box office returns

Michelle Rodriguez as Holga Kilgore in 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'
Photo via Paramount Pictures

Last month’s Honor Among Thieves was quickly greeted as the surprise hit of the spring, as audiences largely lauded a delightful and fun foray into the world of Dungeons & Dragons. The film didn’t manage to pull in quite as much money as you’d think, given its popularity, unfortunately, which leaves the potential of a franchise in doubt. Despite its lack of major moneymaking potential, fans are very much behind the idea of an extended DnD cinematic universe, and they’re already prepped to rehash the splendid release on streaming.