A new teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid was unveiled at tonight’s Walt Disney Studios Panel at the D23 Expo covering Disney live action, animation and Pixar.
What’s Happening:
- The Little Mermaid, visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall’s live-action reimagining of the studio’s Oscar-winning animated musical classic, opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 26th, 2023.
- The film stars:
- Halle Bailey (grown-ish) as Ariel
- Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as Sebastian
- Jacob Tremblay (Luca) as Flounder
- Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as Scuttle
- Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric
- Art Malik (Homeland) as Sir Grimsby
- Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) as Queen Selina
- Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos) as King Triton
- Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) as Ursula
- The Little Mermaid is directed by Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Mary Poppins Returns), and written by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Finding Neverland), with a live-action story adaptation by David Magee, Rob Marshall, and two-time Emmy winner John DeLuca (Tony Bennett: An American Classic), based on the short story by Hans Christian Andersen, and the Disney animated film by Ron Clements and John Musker.
- The film is produced by two-time Emmy winner Marc Platt (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), three-time Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Rob Marshall, and John DeLuca, with Jeffrey Silver (The Lion King) serving as executive producer.
- The score is by multiple Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Aladdin), who won two Oscars for the music in the animated version of The Little Mermaid, with music supervised and produced by Mike Higham (Mary Poppins Returns). Music is by Alan Menken, lyrics are by Howard Ashman and new lyrics are by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
- At the D23 Expo presentation, director Rob Marshall and Ariel herself, Halle Bailey, came out on stage to talk about the film.
About The Little Mermaid:
- The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
2022 D23 Expo coverage is presented by shopDisney