On February 15, Disney released a TV spot for their upcoming live-action remake, The Little Mermaid.
Based on the 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid follows the title character, Ariel, in her quest for love and life above the sea. She falls in love with Prince Eric, a human whom she rescued from a sinking ship one stormy night. Determined to live a life out of the sea, she makes a Faustian bargain with the sea witch Ursula to become human and be with Eric.
In Walt Disney’s lifetime, he had considered making an animated adaptation of The Little Mermaid as part of a package film. However, it would not be until the mid-1980s that the studio would begin bringing the Andersen fairy tale onto the big screen.
Directors John Musker and Ron Clements worked with Howard Ashman and Alan Menken to make it into a Broadway-style musical, with songs playing major components of the story. The animation involved more special effects than any animated film since Fantasia, requiring the use of new technology and techniques. The voice talents included Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Kenneth Mars, Samuel Wright, Jason Marin, and Buddy Hackett. The film was released on November 17, 1989.
The success of The Little Mermaid marked a major turning point for Disney and animation in general. It began an era known as the Disney Renaissance, bringing the studio back to form after a two-decade-long commercial and artistic slump following the death of Walt Disney. The Little Mermaid grossed $211.3 million in the box office against a $40 million budget, as well as three Academy Award nominations (winning Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “Under the Sea”).
RELATED: LIVE-ACTION THE LITTLE MERMAID WRAPS ITS MAGICAL PRODUCTION
The film expanded into a franchise, complete with a television series, two direct-to-video follow-ups, and a Broadway musical. In 2022, The Little Mermaid held cultural, historical and aesthetic significance to make it worthy of a placement in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Wish I Could Be Part of That World
To celebrate the upcoming 100th anniversary of Disney, the company released a TV spot for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Here, audiences were given an early glimpse of Prince Eric and Ursula, played by Jonah Hauer-King and Melissa McCarthy respectively. There is also confirmation of a release date set for May 26, 2023.
The Little Mermaid | Wish – YouTube
The Little Mermaid (2023) follows the overall story of the original 1989 animated feature, with a brand-new cast bringing new energy for modern audiences. Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel for having the acting and singing abilities integral to portraying the iconic character. Other cast members include Javier Bardem as King Triton and Art Malik as Grimsby; the voice cast includes Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle.
The Little Mermaid (2023) is directed by Rob Marshall, with the screenplay by David Magee and Jane Goldman. Marshall, Magee, and John DeLuca developed the story of the feature. Marshall, DeLuca, Marc Platt, and Lin-Manuel Miranda additionally act as the producers of the film. Alan Menken returns from the original animated version to compose the score and songs, with Miranda co-writing new songs as the lyricist.
The Little Mermaid Synopsis
Ariel, the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica’s ruler King Triton, is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric from a shipwreck and falling in love with, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula.
Are you excited about The Little Mermaid (2023)? What do you hope to see in the new reimagining of the classic Disney fairy tale? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow The Illuminerdi on social media to be notified of more Disney news and updates like this in the future.
KEEP READING: NEW THE LITTLE MERMAID FUNKO POP MERCHANDISE LEAK REVEALS URSULA, TRITON, ARIEL, AND MORE!
Source: Walt Disney Studios
