The Little Mermaid
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Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my! Fans got to enjoy a first look at the iconic “Kiss the Girl” scene from the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid during the MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday night (May 7).
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In the nearly one-minute clip, Ariel and Prince Eric, played by Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King float around in a row boat, surrounded by an enchanted forest scene, as Sebastian (Daveed Diggs), Flounder (Jacob Tremblay) and Scuttle (Awkwafina) try to convince the young Prince to kiss the mermaid princess. As a result, the spell put on Ariel by villain Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), in which she traded her voice for human legs, would be broken.
“Sha-la-la-la-la-la / Float along / And listen to the song / The song say kiss the girl,” the group sings, as the scene looks almost identical to the original 1989 animated movie.
“I’m a little bit nervous just because this has been so long in the making. I mean, I auditioned for this film when I was 18, and I turned 23 this year,” Bailey previously shared of the highly anticipated film release in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. “Now that it’s finally here, I’m like, whoa, I can’t believe it. And it’s a very, very big pinch-me moment. I’m so excited. And I just can’t wait for people to see what we did to this film.”
The Little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26. Watch the new preview below.
Halle Bailey is gearing up to make her Disney debut in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid next month, and ahead of the movie’s official release, fans were treated to her rendition of “Part of Your World” on Wednesday (April 26).
In a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, the singer — one-half of sister duo Chloe x Halle — revealed that she tried to keep her version of the track as close to Jodi Benson’s original in the 1989 animated film.
“Every time I hear Jodi Benson sing it, the nostalgia that I get is just amazing and it fills me up with so much joy,” she told the host. “I get goosebumps all over so I was very excited to do my own rendition of this song and try my very best to give the song justice, you know, because it’s an amazing work of art. I took inspiration from the original, really based off of the amazing base that we had of the original already.”
Bailey continued: “Jodi Benson is an iconic singer and she’s just such a lovely person inside and out as well. So when you are redoing a song that’s already great, you just have to really try your best to honor the original, as well as not be afraid to make it your own. So that’s truly what I tried to do.”
Leading up to the release of The Little Mermaid, the 23-year-old revealed that she has had some issues with controlling her nerves before the premiere. “I’m a little bit nervous just because this has been so long in the making. I mean, I auditioned for this film when I was 18, and I turned 23 this year,” she said. “Now that it’s finally here, I’m like, whoa, I can’t believe it. And it’s a very, very big pinch-me moment. I’m so excited. And I just can’t wait for people to see what we did to this film.”
Listen to Bailey’s version of “Part of Your World” in the video below.
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Lego wants the whole family to enjoy The Little Mermaid. On Sunday (April 23), the toy company unveiled three new sets inspired by the Disney film releasing next month.
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The collectible sets, designed for kids and adults, range in price from $19.99 up to $159.99.
First up for release, Lego’s The Little Mermaid Story Book Set, which is designed for ages 5 and older, and will be available in stores and online on May 1. The ($19.99) set includes miniature figurines of Ariel, Ursula, Prince Eric and Sebastian.
Dropping June 1, Ariel Treasure Chest lets fans “build their own treasure chest, decorate it and fill it with keepsakes in two secret drawers.” The set is suitable for ages 6 and up. Unfortunately, pre-orders are sold out at Lego.com, but the set might get restocked closer to the release date.
The Story Book set is still available for pre-order online.
Lego
Lego Disney The Little Mermaid Story Book Set
$19.99
Lego’s The Little Mermaid Clam Shell set, designed for ages 18 and up, will be released on May 1. The massive set ($159.99) features mini figures of Ariel, Ursula, King Triton, Sebastian and Flounder; along with Ariel’s sisters Indira and Karina. The set features “key moments from the movie” and references to throne rock, Ariel’s grotto and Ursula’s lair.
The Lego sets are the latest in a string of Little Mermaid merch to hit the web, including the official Barbie doll, books, clothing, bags, jewelry and other collectibles that fans can purchase in anticipation of the film, which hits theaters on May 26.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid, a live-action adaption of the animated film, stars Halle Bailey, Melissa McCartney, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley, Javier Bardem, Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs and Jessica Alexander.
Pre-order Lego’s Little Mermaid clam shell set below.
Lego
LEGO Disney The Little Mermaid Royal Clam Set
$159.99
Alan Menken opened up about bringing The Little Mermaid back to the screen for the live-action adaptation and some of the changes he made to the show’s iconic music.
“There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl,’” the legendary composer told Vanity Fair on March 31, “because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel]. We have some revisions in ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ regarding lines that might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn, even though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel to give up her voice.”
While diehard fans of the original 1989 animated classic may have mixed feelings to updating some of the show’s most beloved songs, Menken also teased that viewers will get to experience a few entirely new songs he wrote for the movie in collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“One was the Prince Eric song, called ‘Wild Unchartered Waters,’” he revealed. “Then, there was the song for Ariel when she has her legs (doesn’t have a voice), and she’s singing her thoughts about all the firsts she is noticing for the first time. Then, there was a number called “Scuttlebutt” for Scuttle and Sebastian. It’s this harebrained [song for them] trying to figure out what’s going on because they hear rumors that the prince has decided to marry. They think it must be Ariel but of course it’s Ursula in the form of Vanessa. It’s all this delicious imagination. Lin’s lyrics are to die for.”
“We wrote a fourth song called ‘Impossible Child’ for King Triton,” the Broadway legend continued. “It didn’t remain in the film only because dramaturgically we didn’t really need it. It was so great to work with Javier Bardem on that song and people will hear it as a DVD outtake, I guess.”
Starring Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King and more, The Little Mermaid is set to hit theaters on May 26 while the film’s official soundtrack will be released one week earlier on May 19.
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Under the sea! You can now pre-order The Little Mermaid Barbie doll.
Capturing The Little Mermaid star, Halle Bailey’s, likeness even down to the mole above her eye. The posable Barbie retails for $14.99 and has long red dreadlocks like Bailey’s hair in the film and an ombre-mermaid tail with a glitter fin.
Halle Bailey Celebrates Getting Her Own ‘Little Mermaid’ Doll: ‘BRB Gonna Go Cry Now…
03/16/2023
Bailey gave fans a sneak peek of the doll last week. “I have something really exciting to reveal to you all. I am gonna cry,” the actress and singer shared on Instagram earlier this month. “This is the new Little Mermaid doll! I am literally choking up because this means so much to me. And to have one that looks like me, that’s my favorite Disney character, is very surreal. And look, she even has my mole! See? And the hair, and the tail…I’m just stunned, so I don’t quite know what to do with it, but I’m gonna steal this and take it home.”
According to Amazon, the doll will be released on April 23. Meanwhile, Disney premiered the official trailer for The Little Mermaid during the Oscars telecast on Sunday (March 12). Bailey and co-star Melissa McCarthy, who plays Ursula in the film, introduced the clip.
The Little Mermaid marks the first live-action adaptation of the Disney animated film which was originally released in 1989. The doll is currently the No. 1 best-seller at Amazon along with The Little Mermaid Live Action Novelization($6.92) due out April 11. Fans can find more gear from the animated version of The Little Mermaid at shopDisney.com.
The Little Mermaid stars Bailey, McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley, Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The soundtrack will be released on May 19 and features new music written by Miranda alongside music from the original film composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.
The Little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26. Pre-order the doll below.
Amazon
Disney The Little Mermaid Ariel Doll, Mermaid Fashion Doll with Signature Outfit, Toys Inspired by Disney’s The Little Mermaid
$14.99
Disney fans are just months away from diving under the sea with Halle Bailey as Ariel in the upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, and on Monday (March 13), the film’s official soundtrack got a release date.
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According to a post from the film shared to Twitter, the soundtrack “featuring all new performances by the cast” is set for release on May 19, a week before the movie hits theaters on May 26. The album will include new lyrics from Lin-Manuel Miranda, plus music and lyrics from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman from the original 1989 The Little Mermaid film.
The official trailer for the live-action movie debuted during the 2023 Oscars on Sunday night (March 12), capturing Bailey as Ariel in the reimagining of the Disney animated classic, with an ensemble including Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton and Jonah Hauer-King as Eric.
In November, the Chloe x Halle star revealed that the most “touching” part of playing the iconic Ariel was getting to see the reaction little girls had to her performance of “Part of Your World” when it initially was released in September.
“It just makes me cry,” she shared. “The fact that all these little Black and Brown babies are going to be able to feel like they’re being represented is really special to me. I know that if I had that when I was younger, it would have changed a whole lot for me and my perspective on who I am as an individual.”
Disney revealed its stunning first photo for its live-action remake of The Little Mermaid on Thursday (Oct. 13), and the aquatic snap features Halle Bailey as Ariel, sitting on a rock, gazing up above the waves into the sunlight.
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“Words can’t describe how immensely honored I feel to play the mermaid of my dreams, Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Come under the sea with me, in theaters May 26, 2023,” Bailey captioned the poster, which she shared to Twitter.
Words can’t describe how immensely honored I feel to play the mermaid of my dreams, Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Come under the sea with me, in theaters May 26, 2023 🧜🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/EEkxvLpt7q— Halle (@HalleBailey) October 13, 2022
The grown-ish actress’ casting in the lead role in the live-action remake was first announced two years ago in July 2019. “After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role,” said director Rob Marshall in a statement, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Last month, Bailey hosted a Q&A session on her YouTube channel, where she shared her thoughts on the coveted role. In response to the sweet reactions circulating online showing young Black girls see a mermaid princess who looks like them, the Chloe x Halle star said she loves it. “It’s a crazy feeling, really, to see all of the babies’ reactions to just the teaser and, you know, it’s really overwhelming,” she shared. “I’ve just been crying at all of the videos that you guys have been sending me. All of my friends have been sending me all these TikToks and reactions, and I’m just overjoyed and overwhelmed and filled with so much gratitude.”
The upcoming film also stars Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as villain Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian and more.