Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid reboot has surprised fans with a stunning new poster that shows off Halle Bailey's look as Ariel.The Little Mermaid is a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale first published in 1837. Numerous movies have adapted the story to the big screen, but the most well known of these films is The Little Mermaid, Disney's take on the tale that released in 1989. Often credited with kicking off the "Disney Renaissance" of the '90s, the film enchanted audiences with the story of Ariel, a mermaid who wishes to leave the ocean and become part of the human world. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula to do so, but evil sea witches are not known for playing by the rules, and Ariel nearly dies trying to attain her dream before being saved by Prince Eric. It's a classic Disney princess fairy tale, and was an obvious choice for Disney's live-action remakes.Bailey shared The Little Mermaid's first poster on Twitter. Captioning the post, "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 seemed excited for fans to see the film. When the first The Little Mermaid trailer dropped, fans got a quick glimpse at Bailey's rendition of "Part of Your World" and at her look as Ariel, but some fans stated that the trailer's lighting made it difficult to discern the costuming and design of the character. The poster reveals a clear shot of Ariel staring up from the ocean's floor, yearning to join the surface world.
Bailey had previously experienced racially motivated attacks for her performance as Ariel. Though Bailey has stated she responded to the Little Mermaid casting hate with some pain, she also revealed that her family helped her get through the difficulties associated with the vitriol. Despite the pain she went through, Bailey said that she hoped The Little Mermaid remale would inspire young Black girls and boost their confidence when they see a Black woman portraying a Disney Princess.
Her desire to help these girls seems to have paid off. In various The Little Mermaid trailer reaction videos, many little girls were heartened and touched to see a Black version of Ariel was coming to theaters. In response to one viral video, Bailey responded, "k i just sobbed watching this thanks she’s so sweet." It seems that Bailey is focusing on the beauty of the situation rather than focusing on the negativity being sent her way.
While the Little Mermaid trailer was a bit too short to give a proper glance at the film, it did give a decent look at Bailey's vocals, which are amazingly tailored for "Part of Your World." One legitimate criticism has been lobbed towards it so far, however, is that the trailer is fairly washed out and dark. This has been a common theme with Disney's live-action remakes, and hopefully is not reflective of the final film.
The Little Mermaid is scheduled to release in theaters on May 26, 2023.
Source: Halle Bailey/Twitter