The Little Mermaid At D23 – The Promotional Campaign Begins

The Little Mermaid First Look – Analysis

The D23 Expo took place last month, allowing Disney fans to enjoy a variety of Disney-themed treats. During a presentation highlighting Disney Studio’s live-action and animated output for the next two years, visitors got an official preview of the long-awaited live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Leading lady Halle Bailey and director Rob Marshall appeared on stage to say a few words about the remake, and D23 visitors got to see an exclusive look at Bailey’s rendition of Ariel’s iconic “I Want” song “Part of Your World”. After the presentation was complete, Disney released a 100 second teaser for the movie to officially kickstart the promotional campaign. The teaser consisted of a handful of undersea shots, the original movie’s reliably powerful signature “Ariel’s voice” leitmotif, and a close-up of Bailey singing the closing lines of “Part of Your World”. This quickly went viral on social media and became one of the main talking points of the D23 weekend.

Needless to say, the main topic of discussion is the casting of the African-American Bailey as the traditionally white and European* Ariel. The online hecklers who have complained about Bailey’s casting returned in full force, with the teaser getting 1.5 million dislikes inside two days and several right-wing commentators complaining about the perceived scientific inaccuracies of her skin color. Conversely, several African-American commentators created TikTok videos showcasing the joy and excitement their children felt watching the trailer and seeing a version of Ariel who looks like them. Even with the overly reverential approach of Disney’s live-action remakes, the very act of changing Ariel’s skin color represents a substantial break from the source material that contrasts with the usual “same approach in a new medium” strategy. When Aladdin cast non-white actors in the major roles, they generally reflected the Middle Eastern setting of the story, whilst The Little Mermaid seems to be set in the same vaguely Mediterranean Europe environment of the original movie, making the diverse casting all the more significant. Disney seem to be adopting a “colorblind” approach, meaning that racism will probably not be a theme in the story*, but casting Bailey means that many seemingly trivial moments of adversity and triumph will be given additional power and resonance. Unsurprisingly, Halle Bailey’s singing voice is the highlight of the trailer, maintaining both the passion and ethereal wonder associated with “Part of Your World”. Overall, it looks like Bailey will be the undisputed star of the live-action The Little Mermaid - If the rest of her performance matches up to her singing voice, it could make it easier to forgive the movie’s flaws and allow Bailey to really establish herself as a major star in the longer term.

However, there are still things to criticize, as the teaser seems to highlight three persistent issues with the live-action remakes in general – the more restrained visual palate, the reliance on replicating key scenes shot-for-shot, and the “uncanny valley” issues caused by turning animated characters into more “realistic” GCI ones. Some Twitter commentators unfavorably compared the underwater scenery with its equivalents from the original film, with the underwater imagery here remaining dark and murky despite the light above the surface. One of the main creative justifications for the live-action remakes is the ability to use CGI, so purists get pretty annoyed when the computer graphics come up short, especially when compared with the original 2D animation. With the D23 promos emphasizing that the effects were still incomplete (the test screenings in July used storyboards instead) the trailers focused on establishing shots, with CGI characters only being shown briefly. This restraint was useful – the CGI turtles seemed acceptable, and the CGI version of Flounder was only in the teaser for a split second. However, the little we saw indicates that the CGI for the animals will probably emphasize realism, which could work for peripheral undersea creatures, but is really not a good fit for Sebastian or Scuttle – their status as Disney icons is based on their larger-than-life personalities. Fans have been speculating over Bailey’s mermaid look for over three years and the final result is pretty solid, with her braids dyed red and an impressive shimmering tail for her bottom half. The need to stick closely to Ariel’s iconic look ensured all the fan designs followed a reliable template, but it’s still quite powerful to see the real thing after such a long period of waiting.

For most people, the teaser was their only chance to form a first impression of the movie. However, the D23 footage was leaked to social media, and whilst the shaky handheld camera images and some disruption to audience members meant that the footage is no substitute for official images, it did provide some excitement for keen superfans (the same ones who eagerly read about the set leaks during the June 2021 filming in Sardinia) wishing to see all possible exclusives. The footage shown at D23 is a better advertisement overall - the visual design of the scene is more colourful (there WILL be light in the grotto!), and Halle Bailey seems to do an excellent job capturing the expressive emotions of the song. The additional scenes are unlikely to change too many minds, but they do indicate that this The Little Mermaid has the potential to at least add a few extra touches to the original winning formula.

For all the arguments surrounding it, the teaser is little more than a means of setting the scene, but it does highlight a variety of potential issues for the rest of the film. Whilst more sombre and faithful visuals are understandable for the smaller, more intimate “Part of Your World”, trying to apply this approach to “Under the Sea” will cause frustrated Disney fans watching it at the cinema to reach into the projection room and break the digital technology being used to play the film. Other potentially problematic aspects of the remake are still being kept secret for now, and it would be unfair to judge them without any available footage. Ultimately, the biggest test for the live-action The Little Mermaid how it handles the story (Which was the weakest part of the 1989 film) and we won’t get a full indication of how that has been reimagined until the very last minute…

At the moment, it’s too soon to tell whether the 2023 The Little Mermaid will demonstrate that the live-action remakes can bring something new to the table. A lot of fans now dismiss the live-action remakes on principle (The critical hostility towards the recent Disney + remake of Pinocchio has probably made the issue worse) but The Little Mermaid has potential to improve on the original in several key areas. We will see whether The Little Mermaid can provide a worthwhile new spin on Ariel’s adventures when we get a more complete trailer, which will probably arrive in the first few weeks of 2023.

Notes

* - At least the Disney brand of European where fairytale princesses have contemporary American speech patterns…

**- Although the diverse casting could have probably been taken further, Halle Bailey is not the only POC actor playing a prominent role. Aside from Daveed Diggs voicing Sebastian and Awkwafina voicing Scuttle, there are several non-white actors with notable “in person” roles. Noma Dumazweni – who got embroiled in a similar dispute when she played Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - will be playing Queen Selina, a new character linked to either Prince Eric or Ariel (or perhaps both!) whilst TV and film veteran Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown, True Lies) will play Prince Eric’s advisor Grimsby.

A Collection of Little Mermaid Spin-Off Books

From the very moment the original The Little Mermaid was released, Disney have been putting out books and videogames that allow fans to learn more about Ariel’s underwater world and her love of humanity. Needless to say, the live-action remake will provide new opportunities for fans to explore both the underwater and human kingdoms Ariel inhabits. Whilst some of them will take inspiration from the changes made for the new version, others are based on the of the original film. Some of these The Little Mermaid books are out now, and the rest are coming out in the next year – they will all be must-reads for fans of the Disney film.

Part of My World: What I’ve Learned from The Little Mermaid About Love, Faith and Finding My Voice (Out Now)

Jodi Benson voiced Ariel in the original The Little Mermaid, and unsurprisingly has plenty of stories to tell about her experiences in the role and Ariel’s impact on millions of fans. As the title indicates, these will be the main selling point for Part of My World. However, Benson isn’t just a one-movie wonder. She will also discuss her stage career – she received a Tony Award Nomination for her performance in 1992’s Crazy for You - and her extensive voice acting experience (including voicing Barbie in two of the Toy Story sequels and voicing the title role in 1994 Disney knock-off Thumbelina). Benson will also provide insights into her personal life and reveal how her Catholic faith has provided her with inspiration throughout her journey to Disney Legend status. Benson’s status as a link to the iconic 1989 The Little Mermaid has been made more poignant by the recent deaths of two of her co-stars – Original Sebastian Samuel E. Wright and original Ursula Pat Carroll – which means that her experiences with them will become bittersweet reading. However, this will be a celebration of Benson’s life story first and foremost, allowing us a greater appreciation of the woman who brought one of Disney’s most important female leads to life.

Prince of Song and Sea (Out Now)

Although most stories set in The Little Mermaid universe unsurprisingly put Ariel first and foremost (with a few villain-centric ones dedicated to Ursula) Prince of Song and Sea allows Ariel’s love interest Prince Eric to have his moment in the spotlight. Despite his reputation for being an unrealistically perfect and “bland” Disney lead, Prince Eric’s internal dilemma is genuinely interesting – torn between the dream girl with the beautiful voice and the quirky loveable mute, not realizing they are one and the same. Prince of Song and Sea aims to build on this difficult choice by revealing that Prince Eric is affected by a curse that will cause him to die if he kisses someone other than his true love. The only two solutions are to find a woman with a voice “pure of heart” or kill the Sea Witch responsible for cursing him. It is perfectly possible to make the Disney Princes into compelling leads, and Lindsey Miller certainly has the potential to explore Prince Eric’s hidden depths. Prince of Song and Sea will be the first in a series of stories from the perspectives of the male leads, with Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty next in line. Hopefully, Miller has the ability to examine Prince Eric’s insecurities and anxieties whilst still allowing him to retain his kind-hearted personality and dreamy charm.

The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide (Released April 11th)

When Disney’s live-action remakes are released, it usually provides YA authors with the opportunity to create a YA novel that can expand the new worlds a little bit further. Wings of Ebony author J Elle is taking advantage of this for The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide, which will build off a bit of backstory created for the film. Ariel’s other sisters each run part of the Ocean, and Ariel will be given an ocean territory of her own to manage when she turns 15. This is due to take place on a ceremony during the Coral Moon festival. However, when Ariel’s older sister Mala goes missing, Ariel must travel the seven seas and save her before the end of the Coral Moon Festival. The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide should provide an engaging exploration of the underwater world, providing an opportunity for Ariel to develop a greater sense of maturity and self-confidence whilst also laying the groundwork for the character arc she will have in the main film.

The Little Mermaid: Guide to Merfolk (Released April 11th)

Eric Geron specializes in tie-in books for 5-8 year olds, having created ones for 2019’s Aladdin and the recent Hocus Pocus sequel. However, he is providing something a little more interesting with this Guide to Merfolk, promoted as being part of Prince Eric’s Royal Library. This short and simple introduction to the merfolk is aimed at younger audiences, but it will still be an intriguing insight into how the human world views mermaids and the mythology surrounding them, and it could allow us to learn more about Prince Eric and the thirst for adventure that represents one of his main driving forces.

Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale Graphic Novel (Released June 13th)

Since it was established in 2015, The Twisted Tale series has provided a creative way of expanding Disney’s animated classics into the literary world, with a set of “What If?” storylines forcing our favorite protagonists to face more “adult” and dangerous adventures in their quest for a happy ending. Given their cult favorite status with older Disney fans, it is not surprising that they are being adapted into a set of Graphic Novels, with 2018’s Part of Your World being the first to receive this treatment in Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale Graphic Novel. Part of Your World provided a scenario where Ursula succeeds in keeping Eric brainwashed and heads to the human world to make the most of her triumph. With Triton now imprisoned in Ursula’s grotesque “Garden”, a mute Ariel is forced to take charge of her undersea kingdom. However, when she makes a return to the human world to investigate an important piece of news from Scuttle, she destroys one of Ursula’s magical shells, restoring her voice and freeing Eric from his enchantment. With Ursula preparing to use increasingly dangerous dark magic to preserve her rule, Ariel and Eric have to come up with a plot to defeat her and rescue Triton.

Though it took some fans a bit of time to get used to the idea of Ursula taking over the land instead of the sea, Braswell made the premise work and added some genuinely clever and innovative ideas. Her storyline is being adapted by Stephanie Kate Strohm, who previously provided mermaid-related adventures with her novel Once Upon a Tide. Retelling Part of Your World in the Graphic Novel medium will fix the plot holes and inconsistencies whilst allowing both old and new characters to flourish. It also ensures that the action sequences (including a scene where Ariel unleashes the full power of the trident, and a climactic battle in an outdoor concert hall) are able to come to life in a vivid and exciting fashion. The illustrations are being provided by Kelly and Nicole Matthews. Early previews indicate that their visuals stay close to the bright expressive style of the original whilst also reflecting the moodier premise. Though Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale Graphic Novel is not coming out until June, it will certainly be worth the wait.

Other Books

Disney are also cashing in on renewed interest in The Little Mermaid with 5 Minute The Little Mermaid Stories (Released April 11th), which contains 12 fun adventures for Ariel. Although these simplistic stories may lack the conflict and romance of others on this list, they represent a storytime treat for very young fans. Older audiences will be more interested in Kiss The Girl (Released June 6th), the third in the Meant To Be series of novels, which turn Disney story templates into real-world romance tales. Here, Ariel is a musician - lead singer of a girlband Siren Seven - who chooses to abandon her tightly controlled world and go on the road with a young rocker. It may seem strange to ditch the underwater escapism that makes The Little Mermaid into such an entertaining fantasy but Kiss The Girl could represent an effective way of highlighting the power of the relationships so important to Disney’s film.

There will also be a few Disney books integrating the characters of The Little Mermaid into a wider celebration of Disney in general. Disney Cautionary Tales (Out Now) will aim to build on the Disney Chills formula of doing classic “Scary Stories” with Disney villains. However, whilst Disney Chills completely ditched any “meta” elements and inserted the Disney villains in a world where no-one knew anything about them, Disney Cautionary Tales is built around the idea that two youths accidentally break a magic mirror and end up trapped in the terrifying fictional world dominated by Disney’s Rouges Gallery. Another Disney for young Disney enthusiasts is A Disney Princess Journey Through History (Released May 2nd). Pinning Disney films to any specific time or place is often full of problems (there are plenty of contradictory details) but it’s still fascinating to examine the historical background, and any official endeavor which allows fans to link their favorite Disney movies to the real world is certainly worth praising.

It would also be a good idea to discuss a couple of Little Mermaid related books that came out in Australia but have not yet been published in America. Happily Never After: Vanessa provides an origin story for Ursula’s vampish human alter ego Vanessa. It will be interesting to see if the focus on ill-fated romance can distinguish it from Serena Valentino’s 2016 novel Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch, an earlier attempt at exploring Ursula’s backstory. Meanwhile, fans wanting to learn more about Ariel’s adventures in the human world can check out Ariel’s Adventure Journal: The Curse of the Sea Witches, a graphic novel where Ariel gets involved in a conflict between humans and mermaids over a new trading port. The ability to explore Eric’s kingdom in greater detail (The Danish elements are emphasized here) is one of the main advantages, of this story, and it is tied to an engaging premise which allows Ariel to explore both halves of her identity. Hopefully, these two books will reach a wider audience over the next few months – Ariel’s Adventure Journal: The Curse of the Sea Witches will apparently receive a US release in May.

Overall, it seems that The Little Mermaid fans of all ages will have no shortage of reading options over the next few months. One of the aims of the live-action remake is to provide a short-term boost of interest in The Little Mermaid spin-offs, and it looks like it will certainly succeed in this regard. It will be fascinating to see whether the literary spin-offs can gain popularity of their own going forward.

P.S – Just as this article was being completed, Disney released a poster for The Little Mermaid, which can be viewed below. It’s an effective image, echoing the iconic poster for the original movie (and the equally iconic promotional art for the 1997 re-release) but still feeling reasonably distinct from them. Although more detailed promotional art will be released nearer the time, this poster will enjoy plenty of circulation over the next few months.