Jake McDorman Returns for Disney+ ‘Aquamarine’ Series

The beloved 2000s mermaid movie is swimming back to the screen, and the new Aquamarine series is bringing back a familiar face. Jake McDorman is officially returning as Raymond in Disney+’s upcoming reboot, while a new generation of characters prepares to dive into a story that carries the original film’s legacy forward.

What’s Happening:

According to PEOPLE, McDorman, who played the lovable lifeguard and Aquamarine’s romantic interest in the 2006 coming-of-age film, will reprise the role as a series regular. The new series also casts 14-year-old Kenzi Richardson as Coral, Raymond and Aquamarine’s teenage daughter, marking a major connection between the original movie and the new story.
Disney+ announced plans for the Aquamarine television reboot earlier this year, with Emma Roberts also set to return as Claire Brown, the character she portrayed in the original film. Roberts is expected to guest star in the new series, while McDorman’s return gives the project another direct link to the 2006 movie.
The new Aquamarine series follows Coral after she moves to a dreamy seaside town and begins investigating the truth surrounding her mother’s disappearance. Along the way, she discovers a family secret that changes everything: her mother was a mermaid, and Coral has inherited magical abilities of her own.
Richardson’s Coral is described as a thoughtful and artistic teenager who suddenly finds herself navigating adolescence, questions about her identity and the absence of a mother she never had the chance to know. Her discovery that she is half mermaid adds an entirely new supernatural layer to the coming-of-age story.
McDorman’s Raymond is now a devoted single father who is trying to navigate Coral’s growing independence while continuing to mourn Aquamarine. His return is particularly meaningful for longtime fans, as the character was at the center of one of the original movie’s sweetest storylines.
The new series is also building a fresh ensemble around Coral. Briella Guiza will play Mia, Coral’s edgy and fiercely authentic best friend, whose intelligence and confidence challenge Coral as she attempts to find her place in her new surroundings.
Theodore Dalton joins as August, a soulful and likable surfer who develops a connection with Coral. Their budding relationship is complicated by the social dynamics surrounding the local beach club, adding another layer to Coral’s already complicated teenage life.
Annika Reese will portray Paige, the stylish queen bee of the beach club. While Paige initially appears to occupy the familiar “mean girl” role, her character description promises there is considerably more beneath her tough exterior.
The series will also have a major connection behind the camera. Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, who directed the original Aquamarine, is returning to direct the reboot pilot. She will also executive produce alongside Emma Roberts, Jake McDorman and original producer Susan Cartsonis.
The original Aquamarine starred Sara Paxton as the titular mermaid, with JoJo and Emma Roberts portraying best friends Hailey and Claire. The film followed the girls after Aquamarine arrives in their lives following a storm, eventually helping them discover friendship, confidence and a little bit of mermaid magic along the way.
Released in 2006, Aquamarine has developed a particularly enduring cult following over the two decades since its theatrical debut. McDorman has previously reflected positively on his connection to the movie, saying that his relationship with the film has only become more affectionate over the years.
“It wasn’t the typical, ‘Oh, she needs the approval of this guy or the entire structure of the plot collapses in on itself,’” McDorman previously told PEOPLE. “It’s set up that way initially to make you think you’ve got this pegged and then turns that archetype inside out, which I think is really cool.”
Whether JoJo or Sara Paxton will appear in the new series remains unclear. JoJo previously revealed that she had preliminary conversations about potentially returning, while Roberts has already expressed her enthusiasm for the project. Roberts previously said she became emotional while reading the pilot script, admitting that she “literally got choked up” by it.
With McDorman officially returning as Raymond and Coral positioned as the next generation of the story, the Disney+ series is shaping up to be both a continuation and a fresh start for Aquamarine.

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Jake McDorman Returns as Raymond for Disney+ "Aquamarine" Series

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