The Little Mermaid (Live-Action)

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Coolmanio
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The Little Mermaid (Live-Action)

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EXCLUSIVE– Execs at Disney are in the early stages of reviving Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid as a live action feature. Disney production chiefs recently heard a new take and are currently evaluating whether to proceed with the idea. Deadline understands that initial discussions have also taken place with some major producers, including some with a strong connection to the studio.

The Little Mermaid holds special significance for the Mouse House, which previously produced an animated version of the story in 1989. That pic, which followed the adventures of Ariel the singing mermaid, gave viewers classic songs such as Under The Sea and helped usher in a new golden age of animation at Disney. That streak would include Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The teaser for Disney’s live action version of Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson, was viewed almost 92 million times in its first 24 hours alone this week, beating the previous record holder for most viewed teaser Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as well as the latest instalments of Marvel titles Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Age of Ultron, all of which are Disney movies.

That, along with the sensational performance of The Jungle Book– with a worldwide gross to date of $860 million- has buoyed Disney execs to look through their back catalogue for more live action adaptations.

Should Disney execs decide to move forward with their version, they’ll find strong competition from an existing live action project being led by Brit production powerhouse Working Title. That Little Mermaid project, set up at Universal, has Chloe Grace Moretz attached to star and highly-rated up-and-coming filmmaker Rebecca Thomas set to direct from a script by Richard Curtis.

Disney is moving forward expansively with its live action slate in general. In April it dated a number of films, including Alice Through the Looking Glass (May 27) and Beauty and the Beast (17 March 2017), as well as this summer’s Pete’s Dragon (August 12). The live action slate includes Cruella with Emma Stone set for the title role and Kelly Marcel writing; A Wrinkle in Time with Ava DuVernay attached to direct and Jennifer Lee writing; Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson set to star and John Requa and Glenn Ficarra writing; Dumbo with director Tim Burton and writer Ehren Kruger and a sequel to Mary Poppins with director Rob Marshall, starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Also in the pipelines are Maleficent 2 with Angelia Jolie set to return in the title role and Linda Woolverton writing; The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with director Lasse Hallstrom and writer Ashleigh Powell; The Jungle Book 2 with both director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Marks returning and a Tinker Bell project with Reese Witherspoon set to star and Victoria Strouse writing
http://deadline.com/2016/05/disney-mull ... 201762354/

Not to be confused with Universal's upcoming take on the film. Universal will be crying when they see this news. I mean, Universal's version won't have 'Part of Your World', Flounder, Ursula, or even Ariel for that matter right? Disney owns all that. People will be suuuuper confused with that haha.

With the huge success of Jungle Book and the huge interest in the BatB trailer, this was a given.
Last edited by Coolmanio on Wed May 25, 2016 7:49 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

Post by Sotiris »

If they don't make it a musical, I'll be furious.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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They will, they will, definitely! You cannot do a live action remake of The Little Mermaid, and not include Part Of Your World, or Under the Sea. That would be a blasphemy! :lol: :lol:
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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Whoop, there it is :lol: The concert may actually be a test for the actors. :o :o :o But, I think they'll need a stronger singer for Ariel than Sarah Banellias.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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The Little Mermaid is my second favorite Disney films, and it's in my top 10 of all-time favorite movies. I am very interested, intrigued, and concerned about this adaptation (I'm mostly concerned with, logistically, how it could be made). And, as Sotiris said, it better be a musical; and, really, only use the songs from the film (the changes and additions made for the Broadway version are still very "meh" for me). I guess I should just be optimistic about this project, but I'm still a little leery.

I'm gonna go talk to some food about this.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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Sotiris wrote:If they don't make it a musical, I'll be furious.
TheSequelOfDisney wrote:it better be a musical
I keep seeing this kind of request (along with hopes that all of '90s DACs will be remade as live-action movies), and I'm just genuinely curious as to why you guys feel that way. The musical version already exists so what's the point in treading the same ground, especially since, a) the 1989 film is arguably the definitive version of the tale, b) it's pretty much given that a live-action version won't reach the quality and cultural impact of the animated one, and c) it kind of implies there was something wrong with the original one (and by extent, with hand-drawn animation) to warrant a full-on remake. To me, there's practically no difference between a live-action carbon copy of TLM '89 and Micheal Eisner's idea of remaking DACs in CGI.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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disneyprincess11 wrote:But, I think they'll need a stronger singer for Ariel than Sarah Banellias.
They’d never hire Sara Bareilles, but not being able to sing couldn’t be the reason. :lol: :roll: Besides, like every other Hollywood musical, they'll be going for stars they can autotune, not singers.

I'd love if they got Amanda Seyfried. She's gorgeous and has big eyes just like Ariel, and I thought her voice was decent in Mamma Mia! Sierra Boggess was nice in the musical (and JoAnna Garcia was great on Once Upon a Time), but I'm not sure I'd want either of them for the film, personally. Ultimately, I'm more concerned with who they'd get for Ursula.... I'll lose all interest if they get someone young, thin, and bland to play the character. I’m not sure who they could get for that. Bette Midler might be a little too old (unsure)? Kathy Bates is a great actor and she was in one of the Annie remakes, but she’s a little stiff to play Ursula to me. I can’t see her sashaying or shaking her body all over the screen. You know, since that took me to American Horror Story, I’d probably make an exception for someone who was thin/young(er) if they got Angela Bassett. She would knock this out of the park. I could possibly see Octavia Spencer. I'm not sure I'd want Queen Latifah, but she'd probably be okay... Triton though... Hmm? I could see Donald Sutherland pulling off the mix of powerful, threatening, and loving, but maybe I'd think of THG too much... I know this is totally WTF, but I could see Peter Dinklage playing Grimsby if that character was kept in this. :lol:

I'd love if they carried "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" or at least "One Step Closer" over from the musical.

EDIT: Thinking about who could play Ursula.
Last edited by Disney's Divinity on Wed May 25, 2016 5:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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YES!!!

But are we sure this will be based on the Disney animated version or be an all new take on the original story? Of course it seems safe to assume it will be based on the Disney animated version, but it didn't specify.

You know, these live-action versions are not remakes, and certainly not like Michael Eisner's plans for shot-for-shot CGI versions of the DAC's. These films re-imagine the stories and characters (and sometimes, the music). The are re-tellings, not remakes. Cinderella and The Jungle Book had enough differences to make people like them either more or less than the originals, or like them as new and seperate versions, which they are. They are the same as the originals and yet not the same. They will have story differences, acting differences, singing differences, visual differences. They will be different experiences.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

Post by Warm Regards »

I am calling it right now: Ursula and King Triton will be siblings in this version.

And wild fan theory: Ursula will secretly be infatuated with Prince Eric. Hence why she works extra hard to prevent Ariel from getting him.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

Post by Disney's Divinity »

Mooky wrote:
Sotiris wrote:If they don't make it a musical, I'll be furious.
TheSequelOfDisney wrote:it better be a musical
I keep seeing this kind of request (along with hopes that all of '90s DACs will be remade as live-action movies), and I'm just genuinely curious as to why you guys feel that way. The musical version already exists so what's the point in treading the same ground, especially since, a) the 1989 film is arguably the definitive version of the tale, b) it's pretty much given that a live-action version won't reach the quality and cultural impact of the animated one, and c) it kind of implies there was something wrong with the original one (and by extent, with hand-drawn animation) to warrant a full-on remake. To me, there's practically no difference between a live-action carbon copy of TLM '89 and Micheal Eisner's idea of remaking DACs in CGI.
It might be because these are being described and promoted as the "live action version of" the animated films, not the original source material. Moreover, any live-action version of Disney's TLM is going to rely even less on the original source material than Cinderella or TJB could considering it completely changes the ending/storyline. And imagining a new version of the animated film without "Part of Your World"/"UtS"/"KtG" is like B&tB without "Belle"/"B&tB"/"Be Our Guest" or TJB without "Bare Necessities." I don't expect exact dialogue to be carried over or no changes to be made; of course there will be. But I do hope the direction is similar for the most part.
Warm Regards wrote:I am calling it right now: Ursula and King Triton will be siblings in this version.

And wild fan theory: Ursula will secretly be infatuated with Prince Eric. Hence why she works extra hard to prevent Ariel from getting him.
I think the former is likely, but the latter... I can't see that at all. The only thing Ursula cares about is the trident. She might would hit it and quit it though. "Not that I blame you...." :wink:

I'm okay with Darren Criss possibly being carried over from the Hollywood show, although I'm not really particular on who plays Eric. Maybe they'd write new songs like the B&tB?
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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Ursula needs to be played by a Drag Queen. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a staple of the Drag Community (not to mention her look is based off Divine), and none of the women I have ever seen doing her live have done her half the justice a talented queen can do. Too bad Disney is too chicken-shit to do it. Too many "concerned parents" would be clutching their pearls.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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A drag queen as Ursula...? So many of us here are gay and know drag queens, and I must say, I think choosing a drag queen would be wrong for this film. The film has to be taken seriously, and only a woman playing a, well, woman, would give it the respect it deserves. It's not like it would be impossible to find some woman who can do a good enough Ursula.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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A man or drag queen playing Ursula would not be disrespectful to the film in any way. :roll:
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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Why would it disrespect the film? Ursula was based on a man to begin with. Everything about her (except her voice) is 100% Divine. Disney has never shied away from this fact. Divine was the queen of camp and thousands of very talented Queens carry her torch, let one of them honor her most mainstream legacy.

Also it's a freaking fairy-tale musical about a mermaid. It isn't Schindler's List. Serious film-making is not the main concern here. I don't need The Little Mermaid to be another goddamn dark, gritty reboot... I need it to be the fun, light-hearted escape that the animated movie is.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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if they finally make this movie i would love to see "If only" in the film (and the other songs from the animated movie).
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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I want them to make it a beautiful tragic story like hans christian andersen's original story, while still using alan menken's music. I want them to use the sad version of part of your world which they originally had.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=345q0kk51U0[/youtube]
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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^ I get how that would be nice, but it's best to let yourself down early. There's no way they'd do that. Thankfully, another TLM is being made (by someone non-Disney) that'll probably be tragic like the original tale.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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WonderNeverOz wrote:I want them to make it a beautiful tragic story like hans christian andersen's original story, while still using alan menken's music. I want them to use the sad version of part of your world which they originally had.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=345q0kk51U0[/youtube]
This is the first time that i hear that song. It's realy amazing! much better than the one that the used in the film.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

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In my opinion a man playing Ursula would disrespect the film in the sense that it doesn't care to take the film seriously, but there's one more important reason:

Believability.

To make the whole story, and, well, characters, believable, you have to have a woman play Ursula.
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Re: The Little Mermaid (Disney) Live-Action Film

Post by Jay »

Disney's Divinity wrote:
disneyprincess11 wrote:But, I think they'll need a stronger singer for Ariel than Sarah Banellias.
They’d never hire Sara Bareilles, but not being able to sing couldn’t be the reason. :lol: :roll: Besides, like every other Hollywood musical, they'll be going for stars they can autotune, not singers.

I'd love if they got Amanda Seyfried. She's gorgeous and has big eyes just like Ariel, and I thought her voice was decent in Mamma Mia! Sierra Boggess was nice in the musical (and JoAnna Garcia was great on Once Upon a Time), but I'm not sure I'd want either of them for the film, personally. Ultimately, I'm more concerned with who they'd get for Ursula.... I'll lose all interest if they get someone young, thin, and bland to play the character. I’m not sure who they could get for that. Bette Midler might be a little too old (unsure)? Kathy Bates is a great actor and she was in one of the Annie remakes, but she’s a little stiff to play Ursula to me. I can’t see her sashaying or shaking her body all over the screen. You know, since that took me to American Horror Story, I’d probably make an exception for someone who was thin/young(er) if they got Angela Bassett. She would knock this out of the park. I could possibly see Octavia Spencer. I'm not sure I'd want Queen Latifah, but she'd probably be okay... Triton though... Hmm? I could see Donald Sutherland pulling off the mix of powerful, threatening, and loving, but maybe I'd think of THG too much... I know this is totally WTF, but I could see Peter Dinklage playing Grimsby if that character was kept in this. :lol:

I'd love if they carried "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" or at least "One Step Closer" over from the musical.

EDIT: Thinking about who could play Ursula.
Amanda Seyfried would be good. She is beautiful, looks the part, sings alright and could pull off Ariel well. But she might be too old. She is 30 and by the time they eventually get around to filming she would be older. Not that it's a problem because she does look younger but I don't know. If they made the film 5 or 6 years ago she would have been perfect. As long as they don't cast Ariana Grande I will be ok. I wounder if they will continue the trend and cast an English Ariel.

Bette Midler would be great. She is 70 but still performing so she could probably pull it off. Kathy Bates would be good as well. She is one of my favorites I could definitely see her sashaying about. Angela Basset and Queen Latifah are also great choices. Jennifer Saunders auditioned for Ursula and I think she would be really good in the role. A drag queen would be awesome as well. So many possibilities!

Donald Sutherland would be a good Triton. Patrick Stewart was the original choice fr the role. It would be cool if he played him in the live action film.
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