Most people know the story of the princess and the frog: The frog is transformed into a handsome prince after a kiss from the beautiful princess. Disney’s new take on this classic, however, is notable not only because the princess is the recipient of the kiss (and transformation) this time, but also because it’s the first film in which the cartoon studio has had a black heroine as its lead.
Audiences are embracing the new face of Disney’s princess. Tiana, the protagonist of The Princess and the Frog, helped the film reach the top of the box office in its first weekend of release, with $24.2 million in ticket sales, according to the Associated Press.
But these numbers were no surprise. Revenue from merchandise sales prior to the movie’s release predicted healthy audience numbers. NPR reports that African American moms and dads were lining up for products like dress-up gowns, t-shirts and dolls — all of which Disney says has been flying off the shelves.
According to NPR, one dad said he “wants economic support of Tiana to send Disney a message: Good job — keep it up.” We couldn’t agree more.
Photo courtesy Theme Park Mom via Flickr
