There Are Mermaids in LA

The Little Mermaid is a 2023 American musical fantasy film and a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1989 animated film, itself loosely based on the 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Directed by Rob Marshall and written by David Magee, the film stars Halle Bailey as the title character, with Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy in supporting roles. The story follows the mermaid princess Ariel, who is fascinated with the human world; after saving Prince Eric from a shipwreck, she makes a deal with the sea witch Ursula to walk on land. Plans for a Little Mermaid remake were confirmed in May 2016. In December 2017, Disney announced Marshall was being courted to direct the film. Bailey, Hauer-King, McCarthy, Bardem, Diggs, Tremblay, Awkwafina, and the rest of the cast joined between July and November 2019. Principal photography was slated to begin in London in early 2020, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming ultimately took place from January to July 2021, primarily at Pinewood Studios in England and on the island of Sardinia. Composer Alan Menken returned to augment the score and write new songs alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, who serves as a producer with Marc Platt, John DeLuca, and Marshall. The film is dedicated to the late Howard Ashman, who co-produced and co-wrote the songs from the original film. The Little Mermaid premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023, and was released in the United States on May 26 by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $569 million worldwide, including $298 million in the United States and Canada. Produced on a budget of $240.2 million, it became Disney's twenty-third most expensive film production to date.