Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid now has an official release date. The upcoming movie, which stars Halle Bailey as a live-action incarnation of Ariel, wrapped filming in July with a first look at the new version of the Disney princess. We now know when to expect to see the new Ariel on the big screen, as on Friday, Disney officially set the feature to premiere on May 26, 2023.
“And just like that..that’s a wrap,” Bailey posted to Instagram in July, revealing our first look at Ariel. “After auditioning for this film when I was 18 just about to turn 19, to now finishing filming through a pandemic when I turned 21 ..we have finally made it. I feel so grateful to have experienced this film in all of its glory..it has been the toughest experience being away from everything and everyone I’ve ever known, to feeling self doubt/ loneliness, but also feeling such freedom and perseverance as I’ve reached the end. I cannot wait for time to speed up so you all can watch this film because it was made with so much love (plus blood sweat and tears).”
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Bailey is best known for her work as a singer, making up one half of Chloe x Halle with sister Chloe Bailey. She also stars as Sky Forster on the spinoff series Grown-ish. Other cast members for The Little Mermaid include Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle. Playing the villain will be Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the sea witch, and she’s stoked to take on the role.
“I play Ursula, the sea witch. It is so fun, we’re just in rehearsals. It’s been an absolute blast,” McCarthy said on The Ellen Show last year. “Stepping into the world of Rob Marshall, it’s like a fever dream, I just went to London for a week, I was like, ‘I don’t get to go to dance camp for a week.’ All day he’s like, ‘Do you want to slide down this 40-foot clam shell?’ I’m like, ‘Yes! Of course I do. What are you, crazy?’ It’s been wildly creative.”
Rob Marshall directs The Little Mermaid using a screenplay by Jane Goldman and David Magee. Marshall also produces with John DeLuca, Marc Platt, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Alan Menken is also set to return as the composer for the score and the songs with Miranda co-writing new songs for the remake. The movie is based on the 1989 animated adaptation of The Little Mermaid by Disney. Filming on the movie officially began in January.
This project is just the latest of many Disney remakes to be made in live-action or “photorealistic animation.” In recent years, the company has found great success with similar remakes like Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and more. It was perhaps just a matter of time before they made their way to The Little Mermaid. They’re also producing many followups to these movies, which includes a prequel to The Lion King centering on younger versions of Scar and Mufasa.
The Little Mermaid will be released in theaters on May 26, 2023. You can watch the original animated version on Disney+. This news comes to us from Variety. The fan art was created by @fabio_rodrigz Fan on Instagram.
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