Disney dropped the first trailer for The Little Mermaid at D23. Variety reports that during the screening of the trailer, the audience was captivated by Halle Bailey’s rendition of “Part of Your World.” One crowd member yelled, “She’s so good!” Another yelled that they had “chills.” Bailey then greeted the audience from the stage, describing what a wonder it was to take the role. Bailey recalled her childhood saying, “Swimming in the pool, imagining I was a mermaid, I never thought I could see that come to life.” Aside from Bailey’s magnificent vocals, we got several glimpses of a majestic world under the sea that the filmmakers have created.
What Can We Expect From ‘The Little Mermaid’
This live-action remake of Disney’s 1989 classic The Little Mermaid will feature new music composed by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Director Rob Marshall of Chicago and Mary Poppins Returns fame says they will still honor the score of Howard Ashman. According to Deadline, Marshall says that the original 1989 film holds a special place in his heart. He said, “In 1989, I don’t know if you remember the excitement of hearing a musical again. It was sort of dead — musicals were gone. Even though it was animated, we could hear people singing again and again. … When Disney asked me to do this, it felt like an incredible moment. It felt like fate.”
Along with Bailey, other cast members include Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, and Javier Bardem as King Triton. The film will also feature voice work from Jacob Trembley as Flounder, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Awkwafina as Skuttle.
The Little Mermaid will release in May of 2023. While this is exciting, this trailer comes not long after the death of Pat Carrol, who originally voiced Ursula, making this somewhat bittersweet.
