The first official poster for Disney‘s live-action The Little Mermaid is here to invite you, poor unfortunate souls, under the sea! The Little Mermaid poster features Halle Bailey’s Ariel wistfully looking to the land above, where whosits and whatsits galore await her exploration. With its minimalistic approach, The Little Mermaid poster highlights Ariel’s gorgeous cryptid physiology, including her iridescent tail and shimmering scales.
Rob Marshall directs this reimagining of the beloved Disney story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The film stars Halle Bailey (grown-ish) as Ariel, Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Snopiercer) as the voice of Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay (Luca, Good Boys) as the voice of Flounder, Awkwafina (The Bad Guys, The Farewell), as the voice of 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 (No Country For Old Men) as King Triton, and Melissa McCarthy as the villain Ursula.
The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to learn more about the world beyond the sea and falls for the dashing Prince Eric while visiting the surface. 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.
Written by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee, with a live-action story adaptation by Magee, Marshall, and two-time Emmy winner John DeLuca, The Little Mermaid, is inspired by the short story by Hans Christian Andersen and the Disney animated classic by Ron Clements and John Musker.
The Little Mermaid poster is one of the few promos we’ve seen for the movie. A teaser trailer swam to the surface last month, creating a stir in the Disney community. Beyond some unsavory types bemoaning Bailey’s casting, the teaser was celebrated by children across the globe. Shortly after the trailer was released, countless videos of kids being overjoyed to discover that Ariel is Black in the film hit the internet like a tidal wave. The swell of happy tears helped the internet become a far less terrible place for a short time.
What do you think about The Little Mermaid poster? I’m excited to see what McCarthy looks like as Ursula. I imagine she will undergo quite a transformation.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid swims into theaters nationwide on May 26, 2023.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed