A clip from Disney's upcoming The Little Mermaid live-action remake showcases the film's feminist twist.The clips showcases the beginning of Halle Bailey and David Diggs' rendition of "Under the Sea," with their lead-in conversation focusing on Princess Ariel's desire to explore the surface entirely in the hopes of fulfilling her own curiosities rather than out of any overtly romantic circumstances.
Bailey, who portrays Princess Ariel, previously discussed the feminist leanings that were incorporated into the role in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1989 Disney animated feature, which itself was inspired by the 1837 Hans Christian Andersen novel of the same name. "I'm really excited for my version of the film because we've definitely changed that perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy," Bailey explained. "It's way bigger than that. It's about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants."
As seen in the latest clip, The Little Mermaid's primary supporting cast of Flounder, Scuttle, and Sebastian will appear in animated form, voiced Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs respectively. The Little Mermaid also stars Javier Bardem as King Triton, Ariel's overbearing royal father; and Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, a character entirely original to the live-action adaptation and the mother of Jonah Hauer-King's Prince Eric.
How Successful Will This Little Mermaid Be?
Apart from the more heroic cast of characters, The Little Mermaid will star Melissa McCarthy as the villainous sea witch Ursula, a role made famous by the late Pat Carroll who passed away in July 2022 at the age of 95. McCarthy's Ursula has been reportedly lauded by test audiences as a show stealing highlight of the film, while original songs for the remake's score were described as "hit-and-miss" by those in attendance at various test screenings.
With The Little Mermaid's theatrical premiere only weeks away, experts are estimating the film will open to approximately $110 million over its 4-day Memorial Day weekend. This would put the movie in the top eight openings for the holiday frame, and only $50 million behind 2022's top performer, Top Gun: Maverick. Currently, Disney's best Memorial Day opening stands as 2007's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which returned $153 million in the same time period.
The Little Mermaid is set to begin making waves in theaters on May 26.
Source: Twitter