Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Lands China Release Date
Attention Disney fans! The latest news out of Hollywood is that the highly-anticipated live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid is making a splash in China on May 26th, coinciding with its North American release date.
Directed by the acclaimed Rob Marshall, this reimagined classic features the talented Halle Bailey as the beloved Ariel, alongside Melissa McCarthy as the devious Ursula. But the star-studded cast doesn’t stop there – the film also includes Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, and Jonah Hauer-King. And if that’s not enough to get your fins flapping, the iconic Alan Menken is back to update the original score and even write a new song with lyrics by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In this new version of the classic story, Ariel is the youngest and most rebellious of King Triton’s daughters. She falls in love with Prince Eric after visiting the surface of the ocean, but mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans. To be with Eric, Ariel makes a deal with the sea witch, Ursula, which puts her life, and her father’s crown, in danger.
The movie is directed by Rob Marshall, who was nominated for an Oscar for “Chicago” and “Mary Poppins Returns,” and written by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee, with a live-action adaptation by Magee, Marshall, and John DeLuca. The movie is based on the short story by Hans Christian Andersen and the Disney animated film by Ron Clements and John Musker.
The production team includes two-time Emmy winner Marc Platt, three-time Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rob Marshall, and John DeLuca as producers, with Jeffrey Silver serving as executive producer. The music for the film is by Alan Menken, who won two Oscars for the music in the animated version of “The Little Mermaid,” with lyrics by Howard Ashman and new lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Despite the backlash from some online trolls, it’s unlikely that it will affect the movie’s bottom line. “The Little Mermaid” is set to be a box-office hit, like most of Disney’s live-action remakes, grossing over $1 billion each. Disney fans are eagerly anticipating the release of the movie, which promises to be an enchanting, visually stunning retelling of a classic fairy tale.
Disney’s live-action remakes have historically performed well in China, and The Little Mermaid is sure to make a big splash in this key market. However, the success of these remakes has been on a gradual decline in recent years, with films like Mulan and Cruella earning less than previous releases. Only time will tell how The Little Mermaid will fare, but with such a talented cast and crew, we have high hopes for this underwater adventure.
Looking ahead, there are even more Disney remakes in the works, including a Snow White adaptation starring Rachel Zegler and set to premiere in March 2024. And for fans of the Lion King, there’s a prequel in the works called Mufasa: The Lion King, directed by the esteemed Barry Jenkins.
But back to The Little Mermaid – we cannot wait to see Halle Bailey take on the role of Ariel in what is sure to be her biggest role yet. This rising star has already made a name for herself as half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, and she’s also set to appear in the upcoming musical production of The Color Purple. The film’s first trailer generated over 108 million global views in its first 24 hours, proving that this beloved tale is still capturing hearts and imaginations around the world. So mark your calendars for May 26th and get ready to dive under the sea with The Little Mermaid.
