Since he could draw, Walt Disney loved bringing his drawings to life through animation. After being denied by an Ad company, Disney and his brother decided to start a company. To this day, the company remains a multinational entertainment company known as Walt Disney. Over the years, the Walt Disney Company has made it its mission to make dreams come true through its nostalgic animations and movies. Through their characters, Disney has shaped the childhood of every generation. Creating characters such as the famous Mickey mouse and his crew or making the iconic Cinderella movie. The impact of Walt Dinsey still lives on today, as their beloved animated films are being brought to reality. Over the years, movies such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and the Lion King have been adapted into live-action films. Like any other animated movie, people were excited to see this new phase of the Disney Company.
“I think my favorite was Aladdin because the casting was perfect, the songs still had that Disney-ness to them. The ones they added were really good, and the CGI magic looked amazing!” Amanda Magalhães (10) says about her favorite Disney live-action adaptation. In the past five years, Disney has made several live-action adaptations. Christopher Robin, Aladdin, Cruela, Mulan, and Lady & the Tramp are some of them. Of course, capturing the magic of animated movies in live-action can be tricky, especially regarding CGI and animals. Even with the magic behind these Disney movies, there are still some negative reviews regarding live-action adaptations. Anthony Tettamant-Fleming (10) says, “I think that most of the live-action remakes are just cash grabs looking to make more money off of Generation X’s nostalgia.”
It is true when it comes to live-action adaptations; the movies feel like they lack something. Most of the adaptations are just straight copies of the original, not adding any new components to the story. While other adaptations feel like musicals, taking away from the storyline. In 2021, The Little Mermaid live-action was announced to be seen in theaters spring of 2023. Like Cinderella, The Little Mermaid has much to live up to. Several movies have been made since the 1989 animated version of The Little Mermaid. Disney turned the 1989 version into a trilogy following Ariel’s daughter. Then, shortly after the first movie, Disney released The Little Mermaid series, which ran for three seasons. In 2018, director Blake Harris produced The Little Mermaid, though this version followed Hans Christain Andersons’ much darker tale. Finally, in 2019, The Little Mermaid Live! aired on ABC as a live musical. So for Disney to produce a live-action adaptation is a bold move. However, people are excited to see what will become of it.
This leads to the focus of the 2023, The Little Mermaid’s first official trailer. Just two weeks ago, the trailer was released, letting people get a sneak peek of the movie. Along with the trailer comes the cast. As hundreds of Disney movies were made before the 2000s, only a few representations were shown. Though as the media continues to grow and people become more knowledgeable, Disney movies are starting to be displayed in a new light. The Little Mermaid representation can be shown through Ariel for redheads or Ursula, who has been coded as a queer character. “Disney really should have considered casting a drag queen or queer actor like Billy Porter or Ru Pual. Especially since Ursula is often played by men in local theater performances,” points out Anthony Tettamant-Fleming (10). When asked Sidney Craft (11) if she would see the movie, she said, “The only reason I would see it was if my sister wanted to, but she doesn’t since Ariel’s hair won’t be red.” Another factor to look at is the actress playing Ariel, Halle Bailey. With how iconic the 1989 version of Ariel is, it is reasonable for people to want a specific actress to play the part. Though what is not okay is for people to send negative comments toward Halle because of her skin color. Since the announcement of the cast, there has been severe backlash toward Halle. Some people are upset because a black actress is playing a white character. Of course, this would all stem down to racism, mostly coming from Generation X, who grew up when the version of The Little Mermaid,1989, was released. However, despite all the negative comments, most people are excited and curious to see Halle Bailey play Ariel. “I know of her and her sister; I think she’s a very talented person. She sings beautifully and is a great actress.” Amanda Magalhães (10) says.
Despite their negative reviews, thousands still love the live-action adaptations. The wave of nostalgia that comes with these modern movies is like a breath of childhood. As Disney continues to grow and make more live-action adaptations of old animated films, their magic still lives on. In just two months, The Little Mermaid will grace the screens of hundreds of movie theaters worldwide. Hopefully, this version will live up to the iconic name of The Little Mermaid while also being its own movie. Though, as Disney has shown, anything is possible.

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