The Little Mermaid Remake is Making a Splash in Theaters!

“The Little Mermaid” is a whimsical film that portrays a fictional mermaid’s adventures in the ocean and on land. The film is considered a part of Disney’s “Renaissance” age and took place between the late 80s to 90s, releasing in 1989. It is also credited as one of the movies to save the entirety of Disney’s animated film industry. And with the live-action remakes of Aladdin, The Lion King, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast, there was no surprise when Disney announced the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. 

With this remake, many wonder what will change and what will stay the same. Well, to start with, Ariel’s most obvious change is her phenotype! She will be played by singer-songwriter and actor Halle Bailey, who is Afro-American and will have long red locks of hair. Many are upset by this decision, saying that Disney is pushing a “woke” agenda by casting a black actress to play a previously white one. Others say that she is a fictional mermaid whose race did not play an active role in the original film. With much discussion over the changes, there is also talk of an edited plot dealing with why Ariel leaves the ocean. Evening Standard says, “Halle Bailey has shared that the movie’s focus will shift from Ariel’s willingness to give everything up for a man to exploring “Ariel’s purpose” and “what she wants.'” The new film seems to pay more attention to Ariel’s purpose, which wouldn’t necessarily revolve around Prince Eric. However, it will still involve him in some way as he is played by Jonah Hauer-King, with Melissa McCarthy playing as Ursula. Lin-Manuel Miranda will also be in the movie, and with his wide portfolio in musical movies, there is not doubt that he will add something great. Bailey’s career in singing plays a role in the remake, as she will sing covers of the iconic songs from the original movie. Her cover of “Part of Your World” was heard in the trailer, where Bailey sings with so much love and passion for the character and movie. Many changes look promising, and I cannot WAIT to see the film in theaters.

The Little Mermaid remake will be in theaters on May 26, so DON’T MISS IT!