The Little Mermaid (Live-Action)

[DisneyFan09]

I'd have rather had Emma Watson for Cinderella than what we got, but she's a much better fit for Belle

She is.

and B&tB is the better film (both the animated and the live-action).

Really? I thought you didn't care for the live action.

(I'd take her over Zendaya for Ariel, too, red hair or no. )

Me too

[JeanGreyForever]

I had the indication that you were a girl! But even girls can find other girls attractive, regardless of their sexuality

True, but she's technically not a Disney kid anymore.

Agreed. It's almost funny that Watson was offered Cinderella, but I doubt she could pull it off.

And yes, everyone else fared better than Watson, even Luke Evans. It's a pity that Emma Thompson's screentime was reduced, since I love her.

Good to know it's that obvious lol. Yes, I meant that being a straight girl, I can find Lindsay Lohan attractive but maybe not at the same level that someone interested in women might feel.

Well, Raven was a contemporary of Hillary Duff and she's been working for Disney again. Plus, she continued to make cameos in several Disney Channel shows over the years. Even Zendaya left Disney Channel only to come back for a short period while Bella Thorne does a lot of work for Freeform which is owned by Disney.

Luke Evans and Josh Gad were probably my favorite part of the new BATB. I still didn't care much for the writing of Gaston's character but I loved how Evans played him. I didn't realize that Emma Thompson's role was reduced. Is there any reason given for that?

[Sotiris]

What kind of changes do you think they'll make to the story and the personality of the characters? TLM has heavily been criticized as "unfeminist" and Disney would want to update her and her story to appease the critics.

Ariel will secretly be an inventor who likes to examine the human contraptions she finds. She will be more fascinated by human technology than anything else and would want to learn from them so she can import that type of tech and modernization to Atlantica. When she becomes human she'll quickly get disillusioned by the human world with their mistreatment of sea creatures and the environment and realize she held a romaticized view of humans that didn't correspond to reality. She will be the one who defeats Ursula, naturally, and at the end she'll decide that she can't turn her back on her family and her people and that she belongs with them after all. Eric will turn into a merman so they can be together and they'll live happily ever after in Atlantica.

[JeanGreyForever]

Honestly, I can easily see this happening. I really hope Disney doesn't go with the inventor route. Mowgli, Belle, Clara, and now Ariel...that's way too much. I don't see why Disney has this obsession with making their every character an inventor in order to make them more progressive. I suppose Tinker Bell actually started this trend in her own series of films.

[Disney Duster]

I had never heard of Lily James or Dan Stevens before. And to me, Cinderella is the best live-action remake.

I think Ariel will just apologize more for her mistake and be the one to defeat the villain.

[DisneyFan09]

What kind of changes do you think they'll make to the story and the personality of the characters? TLM has heavily been criticized as "unfeminist" and Disney would want to update her and her story to appease the critics.

Ariel will secretly be an inventor who likes to examine the human contraptions she finds. She will be more fascinated by human technology than anything else and would want to learn from them so she can import that type of tech and modernization to Atlantica. When she becomes human she'll quickly get disillusioned by the human world with their mistreatment of sea creatures and the environment and realize she held a romaticized view of humans that didn't correspond to reality. She will be the one who defeats Ursula, naturally, and at the end she'll decide that she can't turn her back on her family and her people and that she belongs with them after all. Eric will turn into a merman so they can be together and they'll live happily ever after in Atlantica.

You know what, I was thinking about it the other day! Due to how Ariel's character has been heavily criticized for her proactive nature, I've wondered how her characterization would be in this remake. If Disney would soften her character or making her and Triton's closure to be more overt and obvious. So I'm quite curious about how Ariel's characterization will turn out.

Luke Evans and Josh Gad were probably my favorite part of the new BATB. I still didn't care much for the writing of Gaston's character but I loved how Evans played him. I didn't realize that Emma Thompson's role was reduced. Is there any reason given for that?

Dunno.

[MrXemnas1992]

What kind of changes do you think they'll make to the story and the personality of the characters? TLM has heavily been criticized as "unfeminist" and Disney would want to update her and her story to appease the critics.

Ariel will secretly be an inventor who likes to examine the human contraptions she finds. She will be more fascinated by human technology than anything else and would want to learn from them so she can import that type of tech and modernization to Atlantica. When she becomes human she'll quickly get disillusioned by the human world with their mistreatment of sea creatures and the environment and realize she held a romaticized view of humans that didn't correspond to reality. She will be the one who defeats Ursula, naturally, and at the end she'll decide that she can't turn her back on her family and her people and that she belongs with them after all. Eric will turn into a merman so they can be together and they'll live happily ever after in Atlantica.

Oh god that would be fucking terrible and ruin the entire story.

Triton isn't supposed be correct in judging humanity harshly based on the actions of a few. He's prejudiced due to the death of his wife, but he's supposed to realize thru Eric that not all humans are bad [Ursula also proves not all seafolk are good either] and he realizes that Ariel's happiness matters more than his own [and given my own sibling coming out recently as transgender, I'm starting to see heavy parallels xD]

Ariel giving up on her dream and cowing to her father's prejudice is far more anti-feminist and un-progressive that the original "supposedly is"...i hate the criticism lobbied at the original film. I truly do. and it's going to ruin this movie. I know it will.

And also hate how this unfounded rumor about Zendaya being in negotiations to play Ariel has exploded into news articles 'confirming it' and is starting yet another twitter war between "racist idiots vs progressive idiots"

I've previously stated that I'd be highly skeptical and critical of whomever got casted as my favorite Disney princess [and honestly I do want somebody who looks just like and sings as good as Ariel], and now I fear this is heading towards a Ghostbusters2016-type situation of "all critics of this are just racist and sexist man-children" .

[JeanGreyForever]

Triton isn't supposed be correct in judging humanity harshly based on the actions of a few. He's prejudiced due to the death of his wife, but he's supposed to realize thru Eric that not all humans are bad [Ursula also proves not all seafolk are good either] and he realizes that Ariel's happiness matters more than his own [and given my own sibling coming out recently as transgender, I'm starting to see heavy parallels xD]

I've also seen a lot of parallels between Ariel wanting to be human and being transgender. Although I hope real life cases end more like the Disney movie and not the original Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. Especially since he wrote the story after an unrequited love he had for one of his male best friends.

I think Ariel will just apologize more for her mistake and be the one to defeat the villain.

Both of those changes would be fine with me since the Broadway adaptation did them too (the latter anyway. Can't remember the former implemented).

[Atlantica]

I like how they kept Ariel the same character for the stage show, but she had a wonderful moment with Triton at the end where she was explaining herself, and how desperately sorry she was for it all. That I believe segues into 'If Only ( Reprise )'.

I really hope they don't tamper with her, feminism or not. It didn't do anything for me to have Belle updated to be made 'better' in that respect at all.

[JeanGreyForever]

So she did have an apology scene in the Broadway musical. I only saw it once so I couldn't remember.

[DisneyFan09]

As she was going to do in the animated movie as well, since it's a part of the deleted scenes.

But now that it's being said, regardless of my prior rants about Ariel, I think the movie needed her to have the more overt closure between her and her father. Not only due to that being a more satisfying closure, but also because it would have the naysayers stop bashing on Ariel all this time. Because it would've shown an equal growth between them, having them both realizing their own mistakes and learning from them. Though Moana does struggle with this similar issue, at least it's executed in a more subdued way (though truth to be told, the closure between her and her father could've been more overt as well).

[Disney Duster]

Triton isn't supposed be correct in judging humanity harshly based on the actions of a few. He's prejudiced due to the death of his wife

The original creators of Disney's The Little Mermaid didn't say it was because his wife got killed. That's only from the non-canon prequel so you know.

As she was going to do in the animated movie as well, since it's a part of the deleted scenes.

But now that it's being said, regardless of my prior rants about Ariel, I think the movie needed her to have the more overt closure between her and her father. Not only due to that being a more satisfying closure, but also because it would have the naysayers stop bashing on Ariel all this time. Because it would've shown an equal growth between them, having them both realizing their own mistakes and learning from them.

I don't know if it would make all the naysayers stop bashing her, but the rest is all true. Good points.

[DisneyFan09]

I don't know if it would make all the naysayers stop bashing her, but the rest is all true. Good points.

Thanks. All of my points are good. Just kidding

[Disney's Divinity]

I’m glad the creators of the original film didn’t stop to think about that nonsense because the people who hate Ariel would’ve still hated Ariel with or without a PSA disrupting the ending. Thankfully they focused instead on making the movie as perfect as it is and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

More films would be better-served if they didn't insert unnecessary dialogue everywhere. Sometimes less is much more.

[Sotiris]

^I also believe Ariel didn't need to apologize on-screen. The audience knows both Ariel and Triton regretted how they handled things. The moment where they look at each other, hug, and Ariel says "I love you daddy!" is more meaningful and powerful than showing an apology scene that would have disrupted the flow of the ending.

[Disney Duster]

Well of course Ariel says "I'm sorry daddy" but it just seems so quick. And then she says, "I love you daddy" after she gets what she wants. A sincere apology beforehand isn't a terrible idea.

[Sotiris]

What I want most from the remake is for it to incorporate the original reprise of "Part of Your World". It's so beautiful and heart-wrenching. They can fit it in after the climax when Ariel is sitting on the rock gazing at Eric. Her singing can be what Triton hears and decides to turn her into a human. They can tweak it and edit it accordingly to make it work. Maybe even write some additional lyrics so they won't have to repeat the ones from the first reprise. It'll make a great addition to the soundtrack and enhance the emotion of the scene before the obligatory happy ending.

"I'd give my life
I'd sell my soul
'Cause I can feel
I'll never be whole
But I can see
I'll never be
Part of your world"

[JeanGreyForever]

I'd love to see that too. Especially some of the lyrics prior to the verses you posted. However these ones below wouldn't fit with the emotional mood of a bittersweet reprise for the ending. They'd probably work if they were tacked onto the reprise she sings after she saves Eric.

Now there's a dream
Now there's a goal
Now there's a need I'll never control
I won't get free
Till I can be
Part of your world
What would I give if I could live outta these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day holding your hand?

I'd also like to see her sing when she comes out of the water after her father has transformed her, like she did in the original ending for the film.

[Sotiris]

A writer for The Wrap tweeted that the Zendaya report is untrue.

INACCURATE. Checked on this last month and both studio and reps denied. No active negotiations.

Source: https://twitter.com/elmayimbe/status/10 ... 6762335232


Skyler Shuler of The DisInsider took it to The DCast to reiterate that his report is legit and that he contacted both Disney and Zendaya's reps who refused to comment either way.

I personally reached out to not only Disney, but I also reached out to the reps that represent her and they both declined to comment. They didn't say 'yes', they didn't say 'no', they said 'we decline to comment on the casting'.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9eZLjSFW0M

[Disney's Divinity]

Skyler Shuler of The DisInsider took it to The DCast to reiterate that his report is legit and that he contacted both Disney and Zendaya's reps who refused to comment either way.

Well, that says it all.

I'd have liked the sad reprise of POYW to be included to, but with Zendaya singing, it really would be pointless. I would never listen to it.