The live-action adaptation of the Oscar-winning Disney classic, The Little Mermaid, is on its way to theaters in 2023. The major studio released the official teaser trailer on Sept. 9 to much fanfare (and criticism) as rising singer and actress Halle Bailey was unveiled as the beloved red-haired Ariel singing the film’s signature song, “Part of Your World.”
A reimagined vision of filmmaker Rob Marshall and scribe David Magee, along with John DeLuca, The Little Mermaid follows the courageous story of the mermaid, Ariel, the youngest of King Triton’s daughters who yearns for adventure beyond the sea. An offer she can’t refuse puts her and the underwater kingdom in jeopardy.
Watch The Official Teaser Trailer Below:
Bailey, who is known for her duo singing group with her sister Chloe Bailey, is set to star in the film alongside Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder, Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
While many people are excited for the film, some critics are upset that Ariel is being portrayed by a person of color. Bailey is not the first to receive backlash for being a person of color while acting. John Boyega famously was the target of racism for his role in the Star Wars trilogy.
The main point of contention revolves around classic characters being converted to politically correct and inclusive symbols, such as was done with Sony’s Ghostbusters, where the all-male roles were filled with women, Universal Pictures’ Little, a reversed story of Tom Hank’s Big featuring Regina Hall, and Disney’s recently released Pinocchio, which includes a more diverse cast than the original and updated storylines to fit the current PC culture.
Much of the resentment is part of a growing dissatisfaction of inclusiveness, with others criticizing major studios for not being creative and releasing original films with new characters specifically made for people of color. However, just around the river-end, there’s a huge amount of support for this movement.
The Little Mermaid appears to be receiving a similar anticipation as that of Black Panther, a film where moviegoers watched for a number of reasons, including out of support for Black superheroes, out of curiosity, and to hate watch, while others just wanted to see a film that’s part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So, what will you be watching The Little Mermaid for, the entertainment… or the online commentary?
Disney’s The Little Mermaid is intended for release on May 26, 2023.
