Films like “The Little Mermaid,” with gargantuan budgets and equally large P&A fees (Prints and Advertising) must make massive sums just to break even.

That may not be possible for this “Mermaid.”

The film could cost Disney $20 million, Deadline estimates, or be lucky to break even. That’s not why studios deliver live-action versions of their classic properties. …

Disney’s film lineup is one of its corporate strengths. The company owns the MCU, the “Indiana Jones” saga, Pixar and more. And let’s not forget decades of invaluable IP, from Peter Pan to Pinocchio.

Yet more dark clouds await the studio this summer.

[Just the fact that Disney is investing so much money into expensive remakes of old intellectual property points up an even bigger problem — a dearth of imagination. All they have are IP tentpoles now that they continually strip mine rather than spend time (and less money) coming up with fresh material. Even Pixar’s magic seems to have dissipated. After a long enough period, the same old tricks stop working. — Ed]