Helmed by Oscar-winning director Rob Marshall, the live-action adaption of Disney’s classic animated musical stars Halle Bailey as Ariel and arrives in theaters May 2023.
Walt Disney Studios shared the first poster for its live-action The Little Mermaid - helmed by visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall - a reimagining of the studio’s classic, Oscar-winning animated musical. The movie opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 26, 2023.
In the movie, Ariel, the youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure who longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea. While visiting the surface, she falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
The Little Mermaid stars singer and actress Halle Bailey (grown-ish) as Ariel; Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Snowpiercer) as Sebastian; Jacob Tremblay (Luca, Room) as Flounder; Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as Scuttle; Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric; Art Malik (Homeland) as Sir Grimsby; Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) as Queen Selina; with Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Being the Ricardos) as King Triton; and two-time Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Bridesmaids) as Ursula.
Based on the short story by Hans Christian Andersen and the Disney animated film by Ron Clements and John Musker, The Little Mermaid is directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago, Mary Poppins Returns) and written by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland). The live-action story adaptation is by Magee, Marshall, and two-time Emmy winner John DeLuca (Tony Bennett: An American Classic).
The film is produced by two-time Emmy winner Marc Platt (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, Grease Live!), three-time Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights), Marshall, and DeLuca, with Jeffrey Silver (The Lion King) serving as executive producer. The score is by Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin), winner of two Oscars for the music in the animated version of The Little Mermaid. Music is supervised and produced by Mike Higham (Mary Poppins Returns, Into the Woods). The music is by Menken; lyrics are by Howard Ashman, with new lyrics are by Miranda.
Visual Effects are by Framestore and MPC. The Production VFX supervisor is Tim Burke.
In case you missed The Little Mermaid teaser trailer, released last month, here it is:
Source: Walt Disney Studios
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
