One of the most iconic films from Disney is definitely The Little Mermaid which was released in 1989. The animated project became so successful, Princess Ariel has become a Disney icon in every way, since there is any kind of merchandise of Ariel and the movie itself. Now, The Little Mermaid live-action is a project that will soon come to our screens on May 26, 2023. It is definitely one of the most awaited films of 2023, even though it had some controversies with Disney fans and the general public. The live-action is directed by Rob Marshall and is adapted from The Little Mermaid (1989), and Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, a novel published in 1837.
Ariel, who is the youngest daughter of King Triton, is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid who is always seeking adventure. Ariel is obsessed to find out what is going on in the world beyond the sea. Ariel visits the surface where she meets Prince Eric and immediately falls in love with him. Following her heart, she visits the evil sea witch Ursula in order to experience life on land, of course, it will bring consequences to the young mermaid.
This live-action cast is formed by Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jude Akuwudike as Grimsby, Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, Kajsa Mohammar as Karina, and Lorena Andrea as Perla.
Daveed Digs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina will be the voice of Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle respectively.
The live-action had a controversy with Halle Bailey who will play Ariel was criticized for not resembling the original character. However, we need to remember that The Little Mermaid is a musical film so it is important that the main star has a good voice, which is the case of Halle Bailey. Although she is not like Ariel, she has an outstanding voice which is perfect for the film.
Before that, there were rumors between 2018 and 2019 that Zendaya would play the role of Ariel. Other stars like Chris Evans and Lindsay Lohan expressed that they had a huge interest in starring in the adaptation. Some fans wanted Ariana Grande to play de role of Ariel, yet ended up being Halle Bailey.
The Little Mermaid live-action was announced in 2016 that Disney was in early development for a live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Later in 2017, Walt Disney Company wanted Rob Marshall to direct the film, while Jane Goldman would serve as screenwriter.
Filming was originally scheduled to begin in London in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed. Besides, some images featuring Prince Eric were leaked, the pictures included Prince Eric’s ship and his castle.
Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios located in England on January 31, 2021. Some shots were taken in Sardinia, Italy for a total of three months. Once again production had to be delayed due to the fact that some crew members had COVID-19. Later that year, Bailey shared some pictures through social media showing her look as Ariel.
Andrea Rich
