Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID live-action movie musical - News & Discussion Thread

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/12/21 at 3:17pm

@hallebailey

and just like that..that’s a wrap 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. this experience has made me so much stronger than i ever thought i could be. i’m so grateful to have such lovely and talented people in the cast like @jonahhauerking that will be my friend for infinite lifetimes, @jacobtremblay who i’m so proud of and legends like @bardemantarctic @melissamccarthy @awkwafina @daveeddiggs who are masters of their craft but are so welcoming and open to little old me..as well as to the rest of the beautiful cast and crew. 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) lol thank you sardinia for a wonderful ending!!! xoxo.

Updated On: 7/12/21 at 03:17 PM

[Musical Master]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 5:34pm

Between director Rob Marshall and the casting of vocal powerhouse Halle Bailey, this movie might be the one Disney remake that I might actually watch instead of cringing in rage for how passionless and soulless a lot of the remakes are 100% of the time.

[Globefan]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 5:45pm

Remember when everyone thought Halle Berry was cast?

Updated On: 7/14/21 at 05:45 PM

[degrassifan]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 8:30pm

Musical Master said: "Between director Rob Marshall and the casting of vocal powerhouse Halle Bailey, this movie might be the one Disney remake that I mightactually watch instead of cringing in rage for how passionless and soulless a lot of the remakes are 100% of the time."

But Cinderella was soooooo good! 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 8:44pm

So was “The Jungle Book.” Favreau did some job with that one.

This “Little Mermaid” has potential though. I love the cast and I’m sure Bailey will be a great Ariel.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 8:46pm

degrassifan said: "But Cinderella was soooooo good!"

Eh. In comparison, the animated film is much better in several ways.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 9:38pm

degrassifan said: "But Cinderella was soooooo good!"

I agree. It's my favorite of the live action remakes.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/14/21 at 9:57pm

I know I'm in the minority, but CRUELLA remains my favorite live action adaptation of a Disney animated film. But then, it really isn't a remake, but a prequel. So I guess it falls in a different category. Lol
Honestly, I'm so on the fence with this film, but I'm very very curious to see how it turns out.

Updated On: 7/14/21 at 09:57 PM

[GreatBroadwayFan]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 2:31pm

So a few days ago, Disney held early test screenings for "The Little Mermaid" (which doesn't come out until May 26, 2023) and while the VFX were still in progress, the general reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Halle Bailey's vocals are fairly similar to Jodi Benson's (the original Ariel), Halle and Jonah Hauer-King have great chemistry together and the sea creatures (Sebastian, Flounder, etc.) do not look hyper-realistic like The Lion King (2019) but little more cartoonish, which I think is good!

We will more than likely be getting our first official look during the D23 Expo which is happening September 9th-11th (whether that's set photos, a poster or even a teaser trailer remains to be seen).

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/14/22 at 8:18pm

I feel like that's been in production forever for some reason. Love to hear that news! 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 12:49am

I’d be a lot more excited if they weren’t having Miranda shoe-horn in new material.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 2:01am

GreatBroadwayFan said: "So a few days ago, Disney held early test screenings for "The Little Mermaid" (which doesn't come out until May 26, 2023) and while the VFX were still in progress, the general reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Halle Bailey's vocals are fairly similar to Jodi Benson's (the original Ariel), Halle and Jonah Hauer-King have great chemistry together and the sea creatures (Sebastian, Flounder, etc.) do not look hyper-realistic like The Lion King (2019) but little more cartoonish, which I think is good!

We will more than likely be getting our first official look during the D23 Expo which is happening September 9th-11th (whether that's set photos, a poster or even a teaser trailer remains to be seen)."

Any word on Melissa McCarthy's performance?

[OhHiii]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 7:15am

NOWaWarning said: "I’d be a lot more excited if they weren’t having Miranda shoe-horn in new material."

Honestly. Does he have to do EVERY Disney film? Begging for a break. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 8:55am

He wants that Oscar and won’t stop until he gets one 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 9:49am

I’d still be annoyed if it were anyone else, honestly, so it might as well be Lin. I just don’t love when they bring in new songwriters with completely different styles to add songs. They stick out from the rest of the score. Like Jasmine’s horrid, generic pop anthem Pasek & Paul were hired to shove into Menken’s Aladdin. But maybe Lin will surprise me and do a better job of blending in. It just seems especially silly when Menken already composed nearly a dozen new songs for the stage version, some of which are quite lovely.

[OhHiii]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 11:08am

WldKingdomHM said: "He wants that Oscar and won’t stop until he gets one"

He's making me actively hope he never gets one.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/15/22 at 11:11am

It's worth noting that Lin is only a LYRICIST on the new songs. Alan Menken is the composer. These Disney remakes are always going to write new songs anyways (for Oscar consideration purposes and to flesh out the score because for some reason Disney feels these things need to be 2+ hours) so there are far worse lyricists they could go with than LMM.

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 7/25/22 at 1:51pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "degrassifan said: "But Cinderella was soooooo good!"

I agree. It's my favorite of the live action remakes."

Same here. It's my favorite live-action movie (I love the Cinderella fairy tale, but no version beat The Wizard of Oz in my favorite live-action films till that one. And I know The Wizard of Oz is a better movie, but still).

NOWaWarning said: "I’d still be annoyed if it were anyone else, honestly, so it might as well be Lin. I just don’t love when they bring in new songwriters with completely different styles to add songs. They stick out from the rest of the score. Like Jasmine’s horrid, generic pop anthem Pasek & Paul were hired to shove into Menken’s Aladdin. But maybe Lin will surprise me and do a better job of blending in. It just seems especially silly when Menken already composed nearly a dozen new songs for the stage version, some of which are quite lovely."

Actually, that pop anthem of Jasmine's called "Speechless" was Alan Menken's work. He even went on so far as to call it his "baby" in an interview.

Updated On: 7/25/22 at 01:51 PM

[OhHiii]

Posted: 7/25/22 at 4:37pm

MagicalMusical said: "Actually, that pop anthem of Jasmine's called "Speechless" was Alan Menken's work. He even went on so far as to call it his "baby" in an interview."

A song only a mother could love...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/25/22 at 4:41pm

MagicalMusical said: "Actually, that pop anthem of Jasmine's called "Speechless" was Alan Menken's work. He even went on so far as to call it his "baby" in an interview."

You know what? If I were making as much money as Menken and had to promote my subpar new song on a press tour, I'd call it "my baby" too.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 7:55pm

 

 

Updated On: 9/9/22 at 07:55 PM

[Tifa]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 8:32pm

I watched the trailer and I am really not a fan of the pop-style run she decided to do at the end, it took away all of the emotion for me. I feel the same way about Ariana in Wicked - I wish they’d stop casting pop stars in musical theatre roles. Will probably skip this one.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 8:53pm

Wow, that looks and sounds really beautiful. Looking forward. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 9:08pm

I'm one of those people who hasn't really been into Disney doing live action revamps of their animated properties. I haven't seen most of them, but from what I have seen (which would be Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and Cruella), I just haven't been impressed by any of them. From what I've heard of the others, a number of people haven't been impressed by them either. The way I see it, there are two different types of live action revamps Disney has been doing. They've made carbon copies of their animated predecessors that added very little originality in them (as was the case with Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King). They've also gone in different directions to creatively justify their existence even if they don't necessarily stick the landing (as was the case with Dumbo and Mulan). So I clearly have no interest in seeing this.

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 9/9/22 at 9:15pm

I find her tone gorgeous and that particular riff tastefully done.

I’m a sucker for these live action remakes - even though many of them have ultimately disappointed me.

I’m just glad they cast someone who can sing for the role of Ariel.  One of the (many) missteps of the live-action BATB adaptation was casting an obvious non-singer as Belle.