Next up in the carousel of live-action remakes and reimaginings of animated Disney classics is The Little Mermaid, and at D23 Expo this weekend, fans were treated to a first look at the upcoming film. Although brief, the teaser trailer does a fantastic job of capturing the magic and wonder of life under the sea.
Perhaps the most important thing fans were looking forward to seeing is singer and actress Halle Bailey (grown-ish) as Ariel. We see her swim around under water for a good portion of the teaser (which looks amazing, by the way) but she truly blows us away with her dazzling rendition of the iconic song "Part of Your World."
Although it's just a few seconds of the tune, it's clear that Bailey has the vocal chops to not only bring these classical songs to life, but even put her own spin on them and make them sound unique and magical.
As far as plot goes, it doesn't appear that Rob Marshall's reimagining will stray too far from the story of the animated classic. The synopsis reads:
"The Little Mermaid” is the beloved 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.
Although Ariel still falls for the dashing Prince Eric, Baily was sure to emphasize that her character won't be defined by a romantic attraction, as we've seen in many of the original animated classics.
“We keep a lot of the meat of the film that made us all fall in love with this film,” said Bailey. “It’s really her, and her gumption. And just excitement for the life above [her] world. So it’s amazing, but it’s also updated with the current times. I think she really just goes for what she wants. She’s not scared. And it’s not all about a boy. It’s all about what she wants for herself, and her life.”
The Little Mermaid swims out of the sea and into our world on May 26, 2023. It will open exclusively in theaters nationwide.