The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid
Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, Marc Platt Productions, 5000 Broadway Productions
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date
May 26, 2023
The Little Mermaid Arrives Exclusively on Digital Retailers July 25 and 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 19
Description
The Little Mermaid is visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall’s live-action reimagining of Disney’s beloved animated musical classic, the 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. “The Little Mermaid” is directed by Rob Marshall with a screenplay by David Magee, and is produced by Marc Platt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John DeLuca and Rob Marshall.
Directed by
Rob Marshall
Screenplay by
David Magee and Jane Goldman
Story by
David Magee, Rob Marshall and John DeLuca
Based on
Disney's The Little Mermaid by Ron Clements
John Musker The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
Produced by
Marc Platt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rob Marshall and John DeLuca
Starring
Halle Bailey as Ariel
Jonah Hauer-King as Eric
Melissa McCarthy as Ursula
Javier Bardem as King Triton
Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina
Art Malik as Grimsby
Lorena Andrea as Perla
Kajsa Mohammar as Karina
Voice actors
Daveed Diggs as Sebastian
Jacob Tremblay as Flounder
Awkwafina as Scuttle
Cinematography
Dion Beebe
Edited by
Wyatt Smith
Music by
Alan Menken
Director/producer Rob Marshall discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“a very modern story about a girl who feels displaced and sees her life differently from anyone around her. With a great deal of passion and courage, she embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery by breaking down walls and learning not to be afraid of the ‘other,’ which in her case was the human world”
“This was the most challenging film of my career. In fact, I don’t believe I could have done it without having had the experience of working on all my other films to date”
Producer John DeLuca discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“The contemporary themes explored felt to me like an an8dote to the world’s divisions and a vital reminder that we are all one.”
“I actually saw it as a ‘Romeo and Juliet’-esque tale of misunderstood youths in a world of clashing ideologies. Our heroine is the classic outsider, not unlike Han Chris8an Andersen himself, and after losing her voice, struggles to find it and ultimately does so through her indomitable perseverance.”
Executive producer Jeffrey Silver discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“The theme of this film touches on something that is so important in our world today, which is how we perceive other people and cultures, and that there are prejudices and preconceived notions. ‘The Little Mermaid’ addresses that in such a beautiful way, through love, understanding, and the merging of cultures.”
Halle Bailey discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“I remember watching ‘The Little Mermaid’ on repeat and pretending that I was Ariel, swimming in the water and singing the songs, but never in a million years did I think that I would ever be able to play her”
“There’s something so special about being a mermaid because it’s a mix between this mythical, beautiful creature and your authentic self, and I think that’s why so many young children respond to the character. Because it’s like, yes, I can be this sort of magical being by just being who I am, and I am special the way that I am. That’s why it really resonated with me.”
“Ariel is passionate, she has so much wisdom, and is wise beyond her years. She knows what she wants, and she doesn’t back down. I feel like our stories are very parallel to one another. We are both on similar journeys, and I’m just so inspired by her. She inspires me to speak up.”
Javier Bardem discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“Halle has this presence, this light, this aura, meaning that she is a pure human being full of light…she IS Ariel”
“What a talent this woman has. I was very inspired by her commitment, her will and her knowledge about where to go and how to get there, and how fast she got there.”
Daveed Diggs discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“Halle is everything”
“Not just her spirit and her attention to story, but she’s a great actress, too. And then that voice is just unfair.”
“Sebastian is a very serious crab who takes his job very seriously”
“He’s really the only one Triton goes to for all his big decisions and advice.”
Awkwafina discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“Everything about her, in real life and in the movie, is that of a Disney princess”
“Scuttle is a diving seabird and a land bird, and because she has the ability to travel between worlds, she helps Ariel identify things that she finds and clues her in on their human words”
“Scuttle for me is literally a dream role. One of the most memorable scenes of my childhood is the dinglehopper scene in which we are introduced to Scuttle. I didn’t know what was going on when I first went to meet with Rob Marshall; I didn’t know it was about playing Scuttle, but inside I was like, maybe it’s about Scuttle? Because I would have been happy to be a dancing clam in the background.”
Melissa McCarthy discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“Halle really owns that role and I’ve seen so many videos of all these beautiful little kids that don’t get to see themselves represented on-screen, and seeing Halle Bailey as that little mermaid, that is going to mean the world to them. I think we’re going to be feeling that for a long time.”
“I never thought I would get to play such a wildly iconic villain”
“She is delicious and she’s a broad, and in fact, I always picture her in my head as holding a martini and a cigarette.
She’s so dishy and conniving, and yet I still always feel for her because she’s the outcast and she didn’t start off bad. I think she’s been alone in her lair for so long with her eels Flotsam and Jetsam, that she’s gone a little batty.”
“Her lair holds a collection of all her treasures. There are skulls, clams, pearls, and remnants of people that have crossed her. It is dark and murky, and it has kind of a boudoir feel. There’s a lushness and a dankness at the same 8me because she is in a very dark place, literally and emotionally. My goal was to create a villain you can love and despise at the same time.”
Jonah Hauer-King discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“Eric is kind and compassionate and adventurous and spirited”
“But when we first meet him, he’s actually quite lost. I don’t think he knows who he is, and there is a kind of churning, restless spirit in him. That is why he’s so drawn to the sea; because he is drawn to the unknown and what’s out there and not just what’s in front of him.”
Javier Bardem discusses “The Little Mermaid”
“I was especially drawn to the relationship he has with his daughter because even though he loves her very much, it’s not always in the best ways. He needs to grow up and face what he fears the most, which is his daughter’s freedom, her independence, and that conflict was very interesting to me."
Comments
Post a Comment