Brainstorming Live Action The Little Mermaid

[merprincess]

I thought it would be a fun idea if all together we wrote down some of our possible ideas for Disney's The Little Mermaid live action! Not like Disney will be legitimately considering these, but it's always fun to be creative! Who knows, maybe the things we most wish for or some of the predictions we make might end up in the film?...
We can talk about any aspect of the film- for instance: casting, filming, special effects, costumes, ideas for script, the new music, character development, set design, directing, creative team, marketing, instrumental score and orchestration, merchandising, ideas to be brought in from canon/non-canon TLM of any medium, and much more.

I'll start with casting. Of course, there will be celebrity voices and cameos, I don't know how I feel about that but all of these recent live action/CGI adaptations have that in common. I think Ariel should be played by an unknown (if I could have the chance to audition, that'd be the dream!), I'm sure whoever Disney picks out of a raw talent pool of unknowns is worthy of the role. But I know they have people like Dove Cameron right in their back pocket ready to play the role. Personally, I think Auli'i Cravalho would be an excellent choice, she's just turned 16 now and will be around 18 when we will start to hear a lot more about this film, she definitely has the talent and it'd be a great next step in her career after her breakout performance in Moana. Initially, I would've loved to see Sierra Boggess or Laura Osnes take on this role, but I don't know what age bracket Disney would like their Ariel to be. And of course I wish Jodi could do it, but there's hardly a chance that could happen.
I can't think of anyone other than Pat Carroll to be Ursula, there is just no one else that I can think of. Meryl Streep could be a bold choice.
For Eric, Darren Criss would be absolutely perfect (having just sang as Eric at the Hollywood Bowl concert of The Little Mermaid). I've been fan-casting him as Eric for years!
For Sebastian, Tituss Burgess is my perfect choice. Now that he's well known from his breakout role on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix, he's just well known enough to work, plus I just adore him as Sebastian, you can't really go wrong!
Flounder will be some young kid Disney pulls out of one of the original TV shows, most likely.
Chef Louis should be someone ridiculously hilarious. I can see Jimmy Fallon perhaps as a safe choice, but in the back of my mind I really would like to know if Gordon Ramsay can sing HAHA!
Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, and I can't imagine anyone other than Norm Lewis for King Triton (I'm heavily influenced by the Broadway casting, as you can see).

What do you think? I'll be posting in this thread about non-casting related ideas too, like I mentioned above with set design and filming and costumes and script/screenplay and whatnot. I might make a poll with casting ideas for Ariel, if we have enough options to choose from. I'd love to hear all your ideas!

[buckmana]

As a general rule, I'm more in favor of talented unknowns then hiring for name recognition.
Because it means the director and producer are making choices on what is best for the production.

Based on the background info I got from franchises that featured live action mermaids, the primary requirement is you have to learn fin swimming and then build up your strength so you can do this with additional weight, as the mermaid tails are physically heavy.
So anyone who wishes to succeed in this role must be committed to a fairly intensive training session before production even begins.

At the very minimum, you will need seven actresses (Ariel and her sisters) and the actor who plays Triton to master this skill.
Then you will need assorted extras to do crowd extra scenes.
Although if it was shot from a distance, you might be able to use CGI models, as you wouldn't need to focus on them as often as the lead characters.
So probably just use a few extras for close up/crowd reaction shots and make the rest computer generated.

The next question is how would you represent Ariel's signature red hair onscreen.
I looked up the process of using dye and it can be done with dark hair, although it would be easier for brown and blonde, according to the notes I was consulting.
And there is a catch, doing it too often damages the hair, but it does need multiple reapplications, so the actress' hair would probably be a mess by the time shooting is concluded.
Another problem is you can't expose the dye to hot water, as it causes the color to fade.

Given the above problems, I next researched underwater wigs.
It turns out these do exist and they do make them in red.

This wasn't an underwater wig, but the video covers some of the basic techniques involved in using one.
Raina mentions that she had to use headbands to keep it from moving around, but that was only because she was unable to bring her full kit with her, so maybe if she'd been able to anchor it properly, the headband would have been unnecessary.
There were a lot more videos on that channel, so it might be a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning the skills of being an underwater live action mermaid.
From skimming the videos, it looks like she might be a professional swim instructor as a side job.

I couldn't find much data on the next subject I was researching, face muscle control.
This also has to be practiced, so you aren't making unnatural expressions onscreen.
You also have to become acclimatized to swimming without googles, as you can't wear them onscreen.
It was recommended you don't try this in a chlorine pool as it will cause severe irritation.
Salt water is more tolerable, but can still cause irritation.
Freshwater is best, as long as the water is clean.
Try to avoid places with silt and other particles suspended in the water.

Whoever was cast as Eric would also need to be a strong swimmer, as some of his scenes at the end of the movie would require this skill.
And you would also need a sheepdog (to play Max) trained to be comfortable swimming in water/simulated chop, since they have to be in the water too.

As casting Ursula, you could be less stringent on the swimming requirements, since she wouldn't actually have a tail, you'd just need someone who was a strong swimmer and the tentacles would be added via CGI.
It would add extra authenticity if the same actress played both Ursula and her alterego Vanessa.
Although you'd have to make a different specific costume for Ursula's octopus form.

Characters like Flounder, Sebastian etc, you'd just need to find good voiceover artists.
The cartoon and computer game industry has many people who fill this role, so there are a lot to choose from.
I assume Flounder would require someone relatively young or who can at least sound like it.

The one thing I couldn't figure out was how it would be possible to do underwater singing scenes.
Naturally, you can't do this underwater!
It might require a two stage process, filming the actress under the water doing the "dance" motions, then a separate take where she's singing the song out of the water and digitally imposing her face over the underwater shoot.

[yougottaloveariel]

OK now first HOW DID YOU TWO BECOME ADMINISTRATORS???

Second bout the hair thing Interesting note on colors for Ariel's hair for the red is a variant on brown hair 9I know this for a fact since mine is brown BUT when I was a baby/toddler red got the pics to prove that
It actually is closer to Belle's color only reafirming that all Disney did was reguritate

Nice study on the swimming thing and it makes sense but as I have stated many times Disney has a love /HATE relation with film
so I am not (pardon pun) HOLDING my breath

Maybe some Olympic Swimmers for background character and sisters. How 'bout Jodi Benson for Ursula or Carlotta?(she HAS to have a cameo)

Or as in the original story the grandmother

The Rock as Triton (definetly proved his Disney chops)

Maybe her daughter Delaney as Ariel? (She does sing with her mother on cruises)

Max was not in Broadway stage shows soooooo

Also at last years toy fair there were mermaid swimming costumes so maybe

Post more later for going to imdb page to read MORE bar remarks to our favorite mermaid

[buckmana]

I don't know about hair color, but I know most newborns start out with blue eyes and when they get enough sun exposure, this triggers the eyes to change to their actual color (normally brown), as it's stimulating the body's production of melanin, a pigment used to block sun damage.
Melanin is typically brown or dark in color.
So if that principle applies to hair, it could be possible that when you started going outside, your body reacted by producing melanin hair pigments.

To be honest, I'm not sure Disney is even making films anymore, at least, not theatrical ones.
They seem to be hiring an outside company to do all the work to create a movie for them.
I just checked the list of live action films recently released by Disney and none of them were produced by the actual company.

The Little Mermaid is listed for a live action adaption, but no specified release date.
And it's about halfway down, so there are many films ahead of it in the production schedule.

I looked up the toy version of the mermaid swimming tail and it looks they're just a formfitting leg sock with a tailfin on the end, presumably to reduce their weight.
An actual live action industry model is made a lot differently.
H2O Just Add Water
Mako Mermaids

[yougottaloveariel]

WELL  Since I just saw preveiw for Baywatch Movie Starring Dwayne Johnson        He JUST COULD PLAY TRITON!

[pruefever]

I pray and hope that this new live-action movie features Vanessa! She has to be in it! xD

[yougottaloveariel]

She was not in Broadway version.       After Seeing Ms Scott I figured THATS why she was cast as Ursula to play Vanessa later

If anyone is interested I have audio recording of my teo visits  to the  Broadway show

[yougottaloveariel]

The Actress in Once Upon A Time was QUITE good as Ariel (and she was thirty) THE BEST THING about ep Hair was not exact BUR what color IS A riel's hair?


Always thought it was Gates McFadden Dr.Crusher on Star Trek Next generation BUT AT TIMES she wore wigs



She's over sixty now AND Still has der hair

[buckmana]

In my opinion, they should go for a teenager, to keep it movie authentic.
She'd have to be quite physically fit, because the role would involve a lot of swimming, both mermaid style or as human and there are other parts of the movie that demonstrate Ariel is stronger then a normal teenage girl.
And she'll need to sing too!

We wouldn't get more then one or two movies though, unless she was a young adult who can pass for a teenager, which does happen sometimes.
Just because she'd grow up too fast to resemble her first appearance.


The odds of finding someone who can meet those challenges and is a redhead is unlikely, so they'll most likely have to cast someone suitable for the role and just give her a red wig.