Disney's The Little Mermaid LIVE ACTION

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From List:

Melissa McCarthy says Ursula is 'delicious' to play

Bang Showbiz
3 December 2020

Melissa McCarthy is hoping to return to filming 'The Little Mermaid' in January as she shared her excitement at playing "delicious" villain Ursula

Melissa McCarthy says Ursula is "delicious to play".

The 50-year-old actress has admitted she's had the most "fun" portraying the evil sea witch in Rob Marshall's upcoming live action/CGI adaptation of the 1989 Disney classic 'The Little Mermaid'.

Appearing on 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen' alongside her husband Ben Falcone this week, Melissa revealed that she's hoping production will recommence in January in London, after it was shut down due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on travel.

She told the host: "For 'The Little Mermaid', hopefully, if everything is … safe, we go back to shooting in January in London."

The 'Bridesmaids' star also revealed what kind of Ursula she will be.

She added: "I have such an affection for Ursula. I know she’s the villain, but I’ve just always kind of been like, ‘Oh my god.’ I mean, she’s kind of delicious to play.

"I’m just kind of doing it as if I could be like the vaudevillian night club act that lives in my heart. It’s just so fun, you can’t go too far with her and I’m excited to see it."

Halle Bailey is set to portray Ariel and Jonah Hauer-King is Prince Eric.

While among the voice cast is Awkwafina as Scuttle the seagull, Jacob Tremblay as Ariel's faithful fish friend Flounder and Daveed Diggs as lobster Sebastian.

Javier Bardem is rumoured to play King Triton, Ariel's father, in the movie.

'The Little Mermaid' tells the story of a young mermaid named Ariel who is fascinated with life on land and on one of her visits to the surface, meets and falls in love with Prince Eric.

Determined to be with her love, Ariel makes a deal with the evil Ursula to exchange her beautiful voice for human legs, but she must seal the deal with a kiss within three days, or she will lose her voice forever.

In the original film, King Triton disapproves of his daughter's interest in life above water, but is forced to come to Ariel's aid when her deal with Ursula doesn't go according to plan.

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From Inside The Magic:

Ursula Actress Melissa McCarthy Gives Live-Action ‘Little Mermaid’ Update

in Disney, Movies
Posted on December 2, 2020 by Katrina Jennings

Credit: IMDb

Many fans are excited for the upcoming remake of The Little Mermaid, which will be live-action and showcase a star-studded cast. Melissa McCarthy will be taking on the role of Ursula the sea witch who tricks Ariel into signing away her voice.

Ursula is one of Disney’s most iconic villains, and we cannot wait to see McCarthy play this role! Recently she gave an interview to People about portraying this fabulously fiendish character.

First, she spoke about getting back to set, filming was of course halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“For The Little Mermaid, hopefully, if everything is … safe, we go back to shooting in January in London,” McCarthy said. “Which is very exciting.”

Then she gave insight into how she enjoys playing Ursula,

“I have such an affection for Ursula. I know she’s the villain, but I’ve just always kind of been like, ‘Oh my god.’ I mean, she’s kind of delicious to play,” McCarthy said.

“I’m just kind of doing it as if I could be like the vaudevillian night club act that lives in my heart,” she added of how she plans to fulfill the role. “It’s just so fun, you can’t go too far with her and I’m excited to see it.”

If Melissa McCarthy as Ursula doesn’t get you excited for this movie then knowing that Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Platt are the producers should! Also joining the cast is Emily Coates of Netflix’s Cursed, though her role has yet to be announced, of course, Halle Bailey who is portraying the main mermaid Ariel, and more!

During the stop in production, voice-over work was eventually able to continue, as Flounder and the other under the sea fish and crustaceans will be computer-generated characters.
No official word yet from Disney on when we can expect to see this film. Stay tuned to Inside the Magic by subscribing to our newsletter below to get the latest Disney news updates!
So, are you excited about this new live-action remake of The Little Mermaid? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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From People:

Melissa McCarthy Gives Update on Playing Ursula in Live-Action Little Mermaid: 'It’s Just So Fun'

"I have such an affection for Ursula," the actress said
By Claudia Harmata December 02, 2020 12:00 PM

Melissa McCarthy is eager to get back to filming The Little Mermaid.

On Tuesday, the actress and her husband, Ben Falcone, appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, and answered some fan questions about the live-action remake of the 1989 Disney princess classic.

"For The Little Mermaid, hopefully, if everything is … safe, we go back to shooting in January in London," McCarthy said. "Which is very exciting."

The Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated star, 50, is slated to play Ursula, the film's main antagonist.

"I have such an affection for Ursula. I know she’s the villain, but I’ve just always kind of been like, ‘Oh my god.’ I mean, she’s kind of delicious to play," McCarthy said.

"I’m just kind of doing it as if I could be like the vaudevillian night club act that lives in my heart," she added of how she plans to fulfill the role. "It’s just so fun, you can’t go too far with her and I’m excited to see it."

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Disney announced back in July 2019 that singer Halle Bailey — one half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle — will be taking on the titular role of Ariel. The R&B singer’s casting was quickly met with praises, as fans celebrated Disney’s diverse choice for the role.

Opposite Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King was cast as the charming Prince Eric. The British actor has been previously seen in World on Fire, Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar, as well as Postcards from London and A Dog’s Way Home.

Also joining the cast is Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Awkwafina as Scuttle.

Meanwhile, Lin-Manuel Miranda is serving as an executive producer while also working on the new music for the film.

The Hamilton and Moana composer has been a longtime fan of the movie and even named his son Sebastian after the iconic character in the film.

He previously told Vulture that he is “intimidated” to work on the movie, especially because of why Disney chose him. “Basically they were like, ‘There’s no bigger fan of this movie than you, and no bigger public supporter,’” Miranda said.

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http://instagram.com/p/CITXXU2BjD7

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From Billboard:

WOMEN IN MUSIC
How Chloe x Halle Left Their Mark on R&B By Showing Their 'Imperfect Side'
By Taylor Mims
12/3/2020
When YouTube asked sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey to perform for its Dear Class of 2020 virtual commencement celebration, the two weren’t sure how they’d pull it off. Precision is central to the duo’s artistic brand — in its otherworldly close harmonies, ahead-of-the-curve fashion and transcendent videos — and a DIY set didn’t immediately sound like a natural fit.

Then they stepped back and realized that going DIY didn’t mean lowering their standards; in fact, it was something they had long excelled at. Before Beyoncé signed Chloe x Halle in 2015 as one of the first acts on her Parkwood Entertainment label, the sisters were a viral YouTube sensation known for their at-home, often a cappella performances. Pandemic-induced limitations didn’t mean they had to sacrifice style; they could use their backyard tennis court as a stage and the light strobe from a recent music video to add production value. Singing their slinky single “Do It,” they turned in one of the standout virtual performances of 2020. “We walked out and it felt like a full-blown concert,” says Chloe, 22. “Then, the possibilities were endless — like Pandora’s box opened.”


Arielle Bobb-Willis
Halle, left, wears an Ottolinger top and Misho earrings. Chloe wears an Ottolinger dress and Angostura earring.

As Halle, 20, puts it, the creativity she and her sister discovered in the past year has been “a blessing in disguise.” In June, Chloe x Halle released their second album, Ungodly Hour, an R&B set that nods to the genre’s 1990s heyday but has an unmistakably modern sound courtesy of Chloe’s production. It landed at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart and just scored three Grammy nominations. The artists’ YouTube appearance was just the first of several sleekly staged performances this year showcasing their growth from polished wunderkinds to confident young women ready to embrace stardom.

For their longtime A&R executive Teresa LaBarbera (who also discovered Destiny’s Child), Chloe x Halle’s ascent comes as no surprise. The Atlanta-born-and-raised sisters, she says, have always been motivated to level up, whether teaching themselves to play instruments, tapping into their production skills or adapting to the pandemic. That drive is “not something that I see a lot at that age,” says LaBarbera. “These two young women were going to succeed whether [Beyoncé and I] helped them or not.” In the studio, says Ungodly Hour engineer Tony Maserati, they are “sponges” whose “ability to sustain themselves is probably more possible than most of the artists that I work with — primarily because they write and produce their own material and collaborate really well.”

Their connection is undeniably tangible in person. Kicking back in their Ivy Park sweats, this year’s Billboard Women in Music Rising Star honorees project an easy comfort together, talking over each other to emphasize the other’s statements or praise the other’s talents. “We are completely different, and we can stand alone and still be just as strong,” says Chloe. “But when we come together, it’s this really beautiful melting pot.”

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, you pushed your album back a week. What went into that decision?

Halle: We are two young Black women. We know how heavy our steps are. We know what it is to fear for your life. We have a little brother who’s 15, who’s so tall, so handsome, so smart. When we see the things that happened to George Floyd, it scares us for his life. It scares us for our father’s life.

That whole week was a roller coaster of emotions. We went on shutdown mode and thought, “Do we still release this music?” Music has been used since our ancestors as a healer, as a way to get through pain. We ultimately decided to back it up a week. The next week still felt very heavy, but at the same time we felt like our music could bring some peace and healing.

This industry can be hypercritical of young women. How have you managed evolving as artists — and people — in that environment?

Chloe: A lot of people think of us as little perfect angels that don’t have any problems, and that’s not true. We really wanted to show the imperfect side of us on this project. We have fallen in love, fallen out of love, had our hearts broken. We’re still learning to love our insecurities. That’s what this album symbolizes for us: “Will you love me at the ungodly hour?” We have to give a lot of that credit to our parents too. It’s so funny, when we were playing the songs for them, our dad almost had a heart attack...

Halle: ...because we expose ourselves in the music. A lot of the things we don’t tell our parents, it’s in the songs. When they hear them, they’re like, “Oh, this is what’s happening? OK.”

Arielle Bobb-Willis
Halle, left, wears an Ottolinger top and Misho earrings. Halle, left, wears an Ottolinger top and Misho earrings. Chloe wears an Ottolinger dress, Misho stud earring, Angostura earring, Vhernier and Lace by Jenny Wu rings.

What kind of direction does Beyoncé give you?

Chloe: What’s really cool is that she gives us complete freedom. She has been in this game since she was so young, and she knows what it feels like to be able to use her voice. She doesn’t take that away from us, and she lets us create the art we want to create.

Halle: It’s freeing when you have full creative control and you don’t have to rely on anyone else. We truly feel that it is our story to tell. We don’t want anybody else to tell our story.

Chloe: We’ll just do whatever the he** we want and see if it sticks. Then we’ll go back the next day and listen to it and be like, “We really like this!”

Halle: Or, “This is sh**.”

Both: “This is bad.” (Both laugh.)

Chloe, you’re an accomplished producer in your own right; and Halle, you’ll soon be starring in Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid. Do you see a future in which you have solo projects?

Halle: There is a natural kind of evolution that happens as you grow. I am so happy always doing things with my sister, but I have a vision for her. She has always been — I’m saying this because she won’t say it about herself — super smart. It’s my favorite thing when we go into sessions with the biggest producers and when she plays them her tracks, it blows their minds. She could be the biggest star in the world. I know how far Chloe will go.

Chloe: And you.

Halle: That’s a fun thing for us to imagine about one another — knowing that we will always be together as well.

This article originally appeared in the Dec. 5, 2020, issue of Billboard.

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From FilmNews:

Melissa McCarthy hopes to be back on Little Mermaid set by January
3 h

Melissa McCarthy can't wait to return to shooting Disney's Live-Action The Little Mermaid once coronavirus restrictions lift.

McCarthy, who is set to play the villainous Ursula in the musical fantasy film, told Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she is eager to get back to work.

"For The Little Mermaid, hopefully, if everything is … safe, we go back to shooting in January in London," McCarthy shared, adding: "Which is very exciting."

McCarthy will feature alongside Halle Bailey as Ariel, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, while Javier Bardem will portray King Triton. Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs, and Awkwafina will provide voices for Flounder the tropical fish, Sebastian the crab, and Scuttle the diving bird, respectively.

Despite Ursula being the film's antagonist, McCarthy said she is relishing her part.

"I have such an affection for Ursula. I know she’s the villain, but I’ve just always kind of been like, ‘Oh my god.’ I mean, she’s kind of delicious to play," the actress enthused.

The Bridesmaid's star also dropped some hints about how she is characterising the sea witch.

"I’m just kind of doing it as if I could be like the vaudevillian night club act that lives in my heart. It’s just so fun, you can’t go too far with her and I’m excited to see it," she proclaimed.

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Halle Bailey and her brother Branson in London:

http://instagram.com/p/CIdu40Bpova

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From Inside The Magic:

Artwork Predicts How Halle Bailey Will Look in Live-Action ‘Little Mermaid’
IN MOVIES

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Bailee Abell Leave a comment


Credit: @lukaswerneck on Instagram


We’re so excited to see Halle Bailey make her debut as Ariel in Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid — and we know countless fans are, too. But what will a live-action Little Mermaid film look like? Will Ariel have her iconic red hair? And what can we expect to see from a live-action version of everyone’s favorite mermaid princess?

Though Disney has not yet shared any sneak peeks or promotional images of the live-action Ariel, we can look to fan artwork to get an idea of what we might expect from the new movie. And we’re particularly awestruck by one fan’s illustrations of Halle Bailey as the live-action little mermaid.

Artist Lucas Werneck (@lukaswerneck on Instagram) has created some stunning interpretations of our upcoming live-action Ariel.

In the image below, we can see Halle as Ariel during one of the most iconic scenes of the original The Little Mermaid film. We can almost hear Jodi Benson’s Ariel singing “Part of Your World (Reprise)” when we look at this illustration — and we know singer Halle Bailey (of the duo Chloe x Halle) has such an angelic voice that will be wonderful to finally hear in the new film! She sounds just like a Disney Princess.

http://instagram.com/p/B-tTdYpFzKg

Werneck also shared another version of Halle Bailey’s Ariel character — and this one is just stunning! The impressive detail in this image could fool anyone into believing it’s official Disney artwork.

http://instagram.com/p/CGOGLwSFMyf

Blogger and Little Mermaid superfan Logan reposted Werneck’s recent art on his Instagram dedicated to all things Ariel, @whatdoyousuppose. Click through the carousel of images below to see Ariel with her human legs. We don’t yet know if these exact costumes will be worn in the new movie, but the artist’s interpretations of the live-action Ariel sure are mesmerizing!

http://instagram.com/p/CIjq84chQbP

Halle Bailey is set to make her live-action Little Mermaid debut in the future, though a release date has not yet been announced for the upcoming film. But like her fans (who are ecstatic about Halle’s casting as the first Black Ariel in this live-action Disney adaptation) the actress is thrilled to be a part of the project. She told Variety “I feel like I’m dreaming, and I’m just grateful. And I don’t pay attention to the negativity. I just feel like this role is something bigger than me, and greater, and it’s going to be beautiful. I’m just so excited to be a part of it.”


Credit: MovieWeb

[merprincess]

Disney has officially announced all the lead cast for this film!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIovljdjJM7

check out that new logo! looks like a mix of the original logo's font and the Broadway logo with the long M looking like a mermaid tail! 🧜🏾‍♀️

and here's a video of the same announcement!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIo2-WJhEQI

and with Halle being in London currently it's looking like rehearsals are happening again and/or some filming has begun!!! so exciting!!!

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Great news!
Thanks for the video!!!!

I love too much the new logo!

From Inside The Magic:

Disney (Finally) Introduces Live-Action ‘Little Mermaid’ Cast
IN DISNEY, MOVIES & TV



Posted on December 10, 2020 by Alessa Dufresne Leave a comment

With Disney fans highly anticipating the live-action The Little Mermaid, figuring out who the cast would be comprised of has been a big topic at hand. And now, finally, Disney has released the full cast and we are even more excited to go under the sea!


Credit: Disney
We already knew that Halle Bailey would be starring as Ariel alongside favorite Disney villain Ursula played my Melissa McCarthy and a few others, but here we can see who else is filling out the cast.

Disney tweeted:


Meet the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, @awkwafina, @daveeddiggs, @jacobtremblay, @melissamccarthy & Javier Bardem. Directed by Rob Marshall, featuring music from the animated original & new music by @almenken & @lin_Manuel Miranda.


Talk about a star-studded cast — let’s look at who will be playing who!

The official live-action Disney’s The Little Mermaid cast is (drumroll please)

Halle Bailey – Ariel

Daveed Diggs – Sebastian

Javier Bardem – King Triton

Jacob Tremblay – Flounder

Melissa McCarthy – Ursula

Jonah Hauer-King – Prince Eric

Awkwafina – Scuttle

Personally, I am very excited to see Hamilton star Daveed Diggs take on the Caribbean crab Sebastian, especially considering he will be teaming back up with Lin-Manual Miranda for the project! Considering we received the news that Halle Bailey would be Ariel about a year ago, it is about time that Disney and The Little Mermaid fans get to know who the rest of the cast is. Plus, thinking of Jacob Tremblay as Flounder is just about the most perfect casting I could think of!

Recently, Melissa McCarthy (Ursula) discussed how excited she was to get to filming! So long as the team and production are able to move forward in January (COVID-19 restrictions pending) the team will be filming in London.

So now, we will be awaiting more information on filming, and hopefully a possible release date in the future for the live-action The Little Mermaid, but until then, we can keep on singing Part of your World!

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From Animationxpress:

Disney introduces Halle Bailey as Ariel in live action ‘Little Mermaid’
December 11, 2020 AnimationXpress Team

Walt Disney Studios has announced the cast of its upcoming musical fantasy film titled The Little Mermaid. It is going to be a live-action adaptation of 1989 classic of the same title.

Walt Disney Studios shared a collage of its star cast of Instagram with the caption, “Go under the sea and meet the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem. Directed by Rob Marshall, the film will feature music from the animated original as well as all-new music by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda”.

The official live-action cast features Bailey as Ariel, Diggs as Sebastian, Bardem as King Triton, Tremblay as Flounder, McCarthy as Ursula, Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Awkwafina as Scuttle.

The film was slated to go on floors in April this year, however, its shoot schedule got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “For The Little Mermaid, hopefully, if everything is … safe, we go back to shooting in January in London,” McCarthy said in a statement. “Which is very exciting.”

The highly-anticipated film is being helmed by Primetime Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rob Marshall while he will be serving as the producer along with John DeLuca, Marc Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

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From FM104ie:

CONFIRMED: Little Mermaid live action cast, featuring a Hamilton star
All Buzz
Friday, December 11th, 2020 10:37am

By Ellen Smith


(via Disney/Getty)

The cast for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has officially been announced in full for the first time.

We have known about some cast members for quite a while now, including Halle Bailey who will be playing Ariel, and there have also been a lot of rumours about other cast members for some time too.

Now, however, we finally have the OFFICIAL confirmation and there are some major stars on the bill.

Front and centre of the news we, of course, see Halle, whose incredible talent alongside sister Chloe lead to her incredible music career, as well as even supporting Beyoncé on tour, as part of Chloe X Halle.


Halle Bailey will play Ariel. (via Getty)

There had been quite a few names circulating on who would be playing Prince Eric, with even Harry Styles said to be in talks.

Little Women actor Jonah Hauer-King, however, bagged the role.



Next, we have Daveed Diggs, who many will know and love for his portrayal of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in the hit musical, Hamilton.

Actor Javier Bardem, known for movies like No Country for Old Men and Skyfall, will take on the role of King Triton.


Daveed Diggs and Javier Bardem have also been confirmed. (via Getty)

Meanwhile, Jacob Tremblay has been announced for the role of Flounder. The actor is just 14-years-old and he's already had a role in an Oscar-winning movie, Room. He was also given the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for his performance in the film.

As for the villain of the role, the brilliant and hilarious Melissa McCarthey is set to take on the portrayal of Ursula.


Jacob Tremblay will play Flounder, while Melissa McCarthey will take on the role of Ursula. (via Getty)

As for one of our favourite characters in the movie, Skuttle the Seagul, actress Awkwafina has been confirmed. This adds to the actress' already an incredible year, after bagging the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category in January for her role in The Farewell.


Golden Globes winner Awkwafina will play Skuttle. (via Getty)

A release date is yet to be announced for the film.

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From Screenrant:

Little Mermaid Live-Action Movie Confirmed With Classic & New Songs
Disney's live-action adaptation of its 1989 animated classic The Little Mermaid will feature both new songs and familiar favorites from the original.

BY CASSIE HURWITZ
16 HOURS AGO

Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid will feature some of the original’s classic songs as well as a handful of new compositions. The original film was released in 1989, setting off the ‘Disney Renaissance,’ which lasted for roughly ten years. It adapted Hans Christen Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name, turning it into a much happier story that quickly became a Walt Disney Animation Studios classic. Beyond its lovable characters, including animal sidekicks Flounder and Sebastian, the movie is well-loved for its many musical numbers.

For the last several years, Disney has adapted its beloved animated features into live-action films, from Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast to Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book. The studio released the live-action version of Mulan on Disney+ and releases Cruella, a spinoff of 101 Dalmatians, in 2021. Separately, Disney shared that the company will be releasing a slew of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and other Walt Disney Animation Studios shows and films on Disney+ in the next three years.

Part of Disney’s announcement included confirmation of The Little Mermaid’s cast and news that the movie will feature old and new songs. Even better—the songs will be written by Alan Menken, the man behind the original film’s music, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. As previously known, Halle Bailey will play Ariel, with Jonah Hauer-King playing Prince Eric and Javier Bardem playing King Triton. Ariel’s animal companions, Sebastian, Scuttle, and Flounder, will be played by Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, and Jacob Tremblay. Finally, Melissa McCarthy will lend her talents to the villainous Ursula.

Chip and Dale are back in a hybrid live-action-animated feature directed by Akiva Schaffer and starring John @mulaney N’ Andy Samberg. Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, an Original Movie, is coming to @disneyplus. pic.twitter.com/4YGzYbBNBd

— Disney (@disney) December 11, 2020
Alan Menken wrote the music for countless Disney Renaissance classics, including Tangled and Hercules, and gave the original The Little Mermaid fan-favorite songs like “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World.” Lin-Manuel Miranda, on the other hand, wrote the music for 2016’s Moana, which earned him Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. Separately, of course, he’s known for being the genius behind Hamilton, which also starred Daveed Diggs. Halle Bailey has starred in Grown-ish and is also half of the music duo Chloe x Halle, giving her the perfect combination of skills to belt out Ariel's signature songs.

This musical announcement comes on the heels of Mulan being released to all Disney+ subscribers. Although the live-action adaptation was highly anticipated, many reviews stated the movie fell flat compared to its animated counterpart. Part of the reason the film was disliked came from its lack of musical numbers. The live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid will go in the complete opposite direction of Mulan. It may be a coincidence, but it seems as though Disney realizes its mistakes just in time to save the musical magic in the live-action The Little Mermaid.

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From Comingsoon:

Little Mermaid Cast, Plus Pinocchio & Peter Pan Films Go to Disney+

BY MAX EVRY ON DECEMBER 10, 2020



Little Mermaid Cast, Plus Pinocchio & Peter Pan Films Go to Disney+

During their earnings call tonight, Disney revealed The Little Mermaid cast for their upcoming live-action feature! They also revealed that director Robert Zemeckis’ Pinocchio and director David Lowery’s Peter Pan & Wendy will be going direct to the Disney+ streaming service. Check out sizzle reels below!

Meet the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy & Javier Bardem. Directed by Rob Marshall, featuring music from the animated original & new music by Alan Menken & Lin-Manuel Miranda. pic.twitter.com/yJLjNs4GEa

— Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) December 11, 2020

Peter Pan & Wendy will be flying to #DisneyPlus. David Lowery directs an amazing cast including @yarashahidi in the role of Tinker Bell and Jude Law as Captain Hook. pic.twitter.com/U8tWoxxSOk

— Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) December 11, 2020

One of Disney’s all-time classics is coming to #DisneyPlus with the new live-action retelling of Pinocchio, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis. pic.twitter.com/44bHbFRhMe

— Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) December 11, 2020

Hanks had previously been in talks for the role two years prior when Paddington helmer Paul King was attached to co-write and direct the film, but once King left the deal with Hanks was abandoned. Sources report that the new deal with the Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood star are in very early negotiations but that after having read the script co-written by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), he reached out to the director to express his interest in starring in the project.

Zemeckis and Hanks’ collaborative partnership goes back to the latter’s second-consecutive Oscar-winning turn in Forrest Gump and would later reunite on Cast Away, which netted Hanks another Oscar nom and a Golden Globe win, followed by the Christmas cult classic The Polar Express. The project is set to be produced by Weitz and Andrew Miano via their Depth of Field production banner.

Pinocchio will center on the wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a “real boy,” and the relationship between a father and son, the ramifications of lying and creating stories and living in a fantasy world.

The original Pinocchio, based on the 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, first debuted in theaters in 1940 and won two Academy Awards. In the 1940 Disney-animated film Pinocchio, the lead role was voiced by Dickie Jones, Jiminy Cricket by Cliff Edwards, and Master Geppetto by Christian Rubb.

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From Yahoo:

Melissa McCarthy has 'fallen in love' with Ursula ahead of 'Little Mermaid' role (exclusive)
Tom Beasley

Thu, 10 December 2020, 10:05 am CET·2-min read

Melissa McCarthy has “fallen in love” with The Little Mermaid villain Ursula ahead of playing the role in the upcoming live-action remake.

The 50-year-old star will appear alongside R&B star Halle Bailey as Ariel, with Javier Bardem, Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King and Jacob Tremblay also in the cast.

McCarthy was in the midst of production on director Rob Marshall’s movie when the project was forced to shut down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I'm looking forward to going back whenever that may be,” McCarthy told Yahoo Movies UK in an interview to promote new comedy Superintelligence.

She added: “The whole process with Rob Marshall has just been amazing. It's such a juicy, great part. I can't wait.

“I've kind of fallen in love with her. I have seen The Little Mermaid like nine billion times, strangely, so to get to play Ursula was like a dream come true.”

Originally voiced by Emmy and Grammy winner Pat Carroll in the 1989 animation, Ursula is one of the most memorable villains in the Disney canon.

The character is considered an icon for body positivity and has been embraced by the LGBT+ community, partially due to the fact her look was inspired by famous actor and drag queen Divine.

Superintelligence stars McCarthy as Carol Peters, who is chosen by the titular AI — voice by James Corden — as an example of a normal human being to observe in order to decide whether to destroy humanity.

The movie is McCarthy’s fourth to be directed by her husband, Ben Falcone.

“It’s my favourite [to work with Ben],” says McCarthy. “When you keep working with the same people, there’s usually a reason.“

Read more: McCarthy spoofs The Favourite with Oscars dress

The cast of Superintelligence also includes Bobby Cannavale and Brian Tyree Henry, with Falcone popping up in a small, supporting role.

The Little Mermaid does not currently have a release date set on the schedule. Superintelligence is released in UK cinemas from 11 December.

[veu]

From Heart:

Disney confirm full cast of The Little Mermaid live-action remake
11 December 2020, 10:45


The cast of The Little Mermaid has been announced. Picture: Disney/PA
Alice Dear
By Alice Dear

The long-awaited announcement of who will star in the live-action remake of Disney's The Little Mermaid is here.

Disney have confirmed the full cast of The Little Mermaid live-action remake, at last!


The announcement came on Thursday night as they shared the star-studded cast for the highly anticipated new film.

While some names we already knew, and others were just rumoured, we now know the full cast line-up.

Ariel will be played by singer and songwriter Halle Bailey, while the role of Sebastian the crab will be taken by Hamilton's Daveed Diggs.

King Triton, Ariel's father, will be played by Javier Bardem, while Flounder will be played by Jacob Tremblay.

Melissa McCarthy has been confirmed as the cruel sea-witch Ursula.


Halle was confirmed as Ariel in July last year. Picture: PA


Jonah Hauer-King will be playing Prince Eric in the live-action remake. Picture: PA

Prince Eric will be played by Jonah Hauer-King, an English-American actor best known for his role on BBC drama World On Fire.

Harry Styles was reportedly offered the role of Prince Eric, but sadly turned it down.

Playing the role of Scuttle the seagull is Awkwafina, an actress known for her roles in Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean's 8 and The Farewell.


Daveed Diggs will play Sebastian the crab in the upcoming flick. Picture: PA


Melissa McCarthy has been confirmed as Ursula. Picture: PA

Disney confirmed the new flick would be directed by Rob Marshall, and will feature music from the animated original, as well as new music by Alan Menken and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Of course, Halle's role in the upcoming film was already known, with Rob Marshall announcing the news in July last year.

He said at the time: "After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance—plus a glorious singing voice—all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role."

The film is believed to be released at some point next year.

[veu]

From Whatsonstage:

THEATRE NEWS
Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid confirms further casting
The news comes from a bumper evening for Disney
AuthorAlex WoodLocationsLondon11 December 2020


Daveed Diggs and Javier Bardem
© Left: Tricia Baron Right: Carlos Delgado / Wikimedia Commons
In a bumper evening of announcements, Disney revealed a variety of new details about upcoming projects – including casting for The Little Mermaid.

As previously reported, Halle Bailey will take on the role of mermaid Ariel, Melissa McCarthy will play Ursula, Javier Bardem will play King Triton, Daveed Diggs is Sebastian, with Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.

Menken has stated that he and Lin-Manuel Miranda will be writing four new songs for the movie, on top of those featured in the original. It is directed by Rob Marshall (Mary Poppins Returns) with a screenplay by David Magee.

Disney released the below image, while also confirming that a new Moana comedy Disney Plus series was in the works, while also promising a follow-up sequel series to The Princess and the Frog on Disney Plus, a Hocus Pocus sequel, a follow-up to Enchanted, a live-action Pinocchio (with Ton Hanks) and a new Sister Act film.

Furthermore, WhatsOnStage Award-winning actor Fra Fee has joined new Marvel series Hawkeye.

[veu]

From Msn:

PopSugar
It's Official - Meet the Cast of Disney's Live-Action Little Mermaid Movie
Kelsie Gibson 12 hrs ago

Slide 1 of 8: Disney is getting ready to take us under the sea with its upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid. Rob Marshall, who previously worked on Mary Poppins Returns, is set to direct, with Lin-Manuel Miranda and original composer Alan Menken on board for the film's music; and during Disney's Investor Day on Dec. 10, we finally got to meet the actors who will play the memorable characters from the 1989 animated movie. Singer Halle Bailey has been cast as Ariel, and Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, and Melissa McCarthy will all be joining the reboot. See the rest of the cast ahead!

Disney is getting ready to take us under the sea with its upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid. Rob Marshall, who previously worked on Mary Poppins Returns, is set to direct, with Lin-Manuel Miranda and original composer Alan Menken on board for the film's music; and during Disney's Investor Day on Dec. 10, we finally got to meet the actors who will play the memorable characters from the 1989 animated movie.

Singer Halle Bailey has been cast as Ariel, and Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, and Melissa McCarthy will all be joining the reboot. See the rest of the cast ahead!

[veu]

From spanish site Semana:

Cultura
La Sirenita de Disney: revelan el elenco oficial de la versión “live action” de la película
Aunque hace algunos meses Disney había dado a conocer a su protagonista, hasta ahora reveló quiénes conforman el resto del elenco.
12/11/2020



Este jueves Disney dio a conocer el elenco completo con el que contará la versión “live action” de La Sirenita, uno de sus clásicos de todos los tiempos que la compañía de medios de comunicación y entretenimiento estadounidense viene preparando desde hace algunos meses.

El “live action” es una forma de hacer películas usando actores y actrices reales, pero que son filmados dentro de animaciones 2D o en animaciones digitales. Si bien esta dinámica parece reciente, la realidad es que desde hace más de 20 años Disney viene realizando una renovación de sus clásicos con esta técnica. “La Sirenita” no podía quedarse atrás y se va a unir a otras producciones del mismo estilo como “La Bella y la Bestia”, “La Cenicienta” y “El Rey León”.

Aunque la noticia de que la actriz Halle Bailey haría el papel de Ariel en esta versión de “La Sirenita” ya se había dado a conocer algunos meses atrás, causando controversia en las redes sociales dado que muchos fans de esta historia opinan que Bailey no es la indicada para el papel de Ariel, este jueves se conoció el resto del reparto que acompañará a la actriz en este gran reto, quien se ha mostrado positiva y alegre de protagonizar una de las cintas más famosas de Disney, haciendo caso omiso de las críticas.


Luego de mucha especulación, Halle Bailey fue escogida como Ariel, la sirenita - Foto: Montaje Semana

Es así como, luego de que la filmación fuera suspendida indefinidamente debido a la emergencia sanitaria generada por la covid-19, Disney dio señales de que la cinta está en marcha con la revelación del elenco oficial.

A través de su cuenta de Instagram, la compañía dio a conocer que el actor británico de 25 años Jonah Hauer-King será el encargado de encarnar al Príncipe Eric y será la pareja de Ariel, Halle Bailey.

Por su parte, el actor español Javier Bardem interpretará al padre de la protagonista, el Rey Tritón, mientras que el resto del reparto está conformado por Daveed Diggs, como Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay como Flounder, Melissa McCarthy como Ursula y Awkwafina será Scuttle.

La historia creada en 1989 por Hans Christian Andersen, será dirigida en esta ocasión por Rob Marshall y contará con música de la producción animada original de la mano de Alan Menken y Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Así mismo, la adaptación incluye cuatro canciones nuevas para las escenas musicales. De esta manera, la nueva versión no se quiere quedar atrás en comparación a la obra original, teniendo en cuenta que la película animada obtuvo dos premios Óscar en las categorías de mejor banda sonora y mejor canción original.

Al parecer el estreno de “La Sirenita” live action está programado para fines de 2021 debido a la pandemia.

¿De qué trata La sirenita?
Ariel, hija del rey Tritón, es la princesa de las sirenas. Dado que está a punto de celebrarse su fiesta de cumpleaños, su mayor ilusión es poder conocer a los seres humanos.

Es así que con la ayuda de la bruja Úrsula, Ariel consigue subir a la superficie, donde salva de morir ahogado a un hermoso príncipe, cuyo barco acaba de naufragar, y del que se enamora perdidamente.