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Disney has unveiled the first teaser trailer for its upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, which will star Grammy-nominated singer Halle Bailey as the beloved Disney Princess, Ariel. The new teaser for the fast-approaching film, which will come from Mary Poppins Returns and Into the Woods director Rob Marshall, was revealed at the Disney D23 Expo and is expected to make its anticipated theatrical arrival in May next year.
The new teaser for the upcoming Disney film showcases a limited amount to the audience, but it does provide viewers with the first official look at Bailey as Ariel. The live-action Marshall remake takes inspiration from the iconic 1989 Disney classic, which centers around a mermaid princess who enters into an agreement with Ursula, an untrustworthy sea witch, in a desperate attempt to become human and win the love of a prince.
The new live-action footage for The Little Mermaid remake is brief, but it masterfully sets the stage for what audiences can expect from the beloved Disney film. The teaser provides a glimpse of the vibrant ocean from what one can assume to be Bailey's aquatic perspective, as a beautiful piano composition of "Part of Your World" echoes in the background. Most of what surfaces will be familiar to admirers of the 1989 film, especially the brief appearance of Ariel's companion, Flounder.
Alongside Bailey, the upcoming live-action film will star Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as the devilish sea witch Ursula, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Awkwafina as the eccentric seagull Scuttle, Daveed Diggs as the iconic red crab Sebastian, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. Unfortunately, the brand-new teaser failed to reveal any glimpses of these reimagined characters, but official looks should surface once Disney releases a more extended trailer for the upcoming film.
Bailey now stands in exclusive airspace as only the second Black actress to sit on the throne as an official Disney princess, alongside Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in the 2009 Disney animated film The Princess and the Frog. Bailey's casting ushered in great positivity and unwarranted criticism because of her racial difference from the animated Ariel. While painful, Bailey continued to push, carrying the knowledge that her representation mattered, which makes this moment an incredible accomplishment for Bailey and those who have passionately supported her.
The Little Mermaid will hit theaters on May 26, 2023.
Source: Walt Disney Studios/YouTube