Following our recent first glimpse of the villainous Ursula in a new TV spot for The Little Mermaid, we have a first proper look at Sebastian the crab thanks to a promo image that's been doing the rounds online.
The pic appears to be taken from a tie-in book, and features Ariel's (Halle Bailey) little crustacean pal, who was a major highlight of the animated version. Brought to life by Samuel E. Wright in the original, he will be voiced by Daveed Diggs in the live-action remake.
As you can see, Seb looks a lot more like an actual crab here, which we can see some fans taking issue with. Disney took a similar approach with The Lion King remake, which featured a bunch of realistic-looking, expressionless animals belting out songs.
Check out the image below, and keep an eye on Toonado.com for updates.
We still don't know much about this take on the story, but based on what we've seen so far, director Rob Marshall won't be taking too many liberties with the animated classic it's based upon.
Bailey stars alongside Jonah-Hauer King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Awkwafina as Scuttle.
The Little Mermaid will feature music from the animated original, as well as four new songs. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who previously worked with Marshall on Mary Poppins Returns, will also compose original music for Mermaid along with Alan Menken.
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.
The movie is set to swim into theaters on May 26, 2023.