DVDizzy Forum

I've never been a fan of McCarthy, so her possible casting is disappointing (to say the least). The Little Mermaid is my favorite of the Big 4, so while I didn't particularly care who was cast for Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, I will certainly be more critical of the choices made for the production. And I'm not overly impressed with the few decisions we've had so far.

I like Melissa McCarthy but she's not really someone I can envision as Ursula. I would imagine Kathy Bates, Queen Latifah, or even Lady Gaga would be more inspired choices.

Former Variety reporter Kris Tapley has revealed that Jacob Tremblay is being looked at for Flounder and Awkwafina for Scuttle. This confirms Scuttle will be female.

Kris Tapley wrote:With the McCarthy news in, I’ve also heard Jacob Tremblay for Flounder and Awkwafina for Scuttle.

Source: https://twitter.com/kristapley/status/1 ... 3337551873

Oh my God yes Kathy Bates as Ursula! Great idea JeanGrey!

Sotiris wrote:Former Variety reporter Kris Tapley has revealed that Jacob Tremblay is being looked at for Flounder and Awkwafina for Scuttle. This confirms Scuttle will be female.

I actually love this idea for Scuttle. He’s always been my least favorite character from the original anyway, so if they have to include the character in some form, might as well give Ariel a female sidekick instead and Awkwafina is a perfect pick for a quirky, somewhat annoying character.

I actually love this idea for Scuttle. He’s always been my least favorite character from the original anyway, so if they have to include the character in some form, might as well give Ariel a female sidekick instead and Awkwafina is a perfect pick for a quirky, somewhat annoying character.

I am totally down for Awkwafina as Scuttle! I'm guessing they'll give her a song? The fact that she can also rap meshes well with everything we've heard about LMM handling some of the music.

As far as Melissa McCarthy, she's not my first choice, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt until we see more. I hope she infuses it with some of her more dramatic skills instead of her usual crass/slapstick/annoying sidekick comedy style. Ursula always came across as elegant (despite being a diva) to me, so I'd like to see her emulate that. I agree that I feel Kathy Bates or Lady Gaga may have seemed like better picks.. or even Meryl Streep.

If they are going for an all black cast, I'm surprised that neither Queen Latifah nor Octavia Spencer were considered candidates, especially given that Latifah has worked with Rob Marshall before (Chicago) and Mama Morton's role and attitude had some similarities to Ursula.

Sotiris wrote:Former Variety reporter Kris Tapley has revealed that Jacob Tremblay is being looked at for Flounder and Awkwafina for Scuttle. This confirms Scuttle will be female.

Kris Tapley wrote:With the McCarthy news in, I’ve also heard Jacob Tremblay for Flounder and Awkwafina for Scuttle.

Source: https://twitter.com/kristapley/status/1 ... 3337551873

I love Awkwafina for Scuttle !

Although my choice for the role was Seth MacFarlane.

How about Ne-Yo for Sebastian ?

Or you could just bring back Tituss Burgess.
I think he is a bigger star now after having had a lead role in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for fours seasons.

I suggest Lizzo, Nicki Minaj , Dame Judi Dench or Bette Midler for Ursula.

Also Dick Van Dyke, Joss Ackland , Christopher Plummer or Clive Revill for Grimsby

Maybe Hannah Gadsby for Charlotte Prrince Erics maid.

Count me in as one of the people psyched for Awkwafina.

I’ve given it some thought, and if we’re casting a bio woman as Ursula it should have been Patti LuPone. Admittedly the wrong body type (and she’s not a movie star so I’m sure she wasn’t even considered) but my God, her Ursula would have been marvelous. A worthy companion to Pat Carroll’s portrayal.

Midler is still the ideal choice for me, although I’m not sure they would consider her (and why not?!) or if she would want the job if they did anyway. Bates, Latifah, McCarthy, Spencer, Streep would all be good if not my picture for the role. LuPone would be great. Anybody but Gaga. She is a passable actress at best.

So maybe it's because I'm not American, or I don't follow the latest trend-celebrities, but who is this akwafina or whatever? I think she was a joke character on Bojack Horseman or something?

in b4 somebody calls me a bigot

^ She’s an up-and-coming comic actress. I first found out about her via an SNL appearance, but I saw her in Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s 8 a little after that. Ocean’s 8 was boring despite all the great actresses attached (jmo), but she shined in CRA to me.

thedisneyspirit wrote:So maybe it's because I'm not American, or I don't follow the latest trend-celebrities, but who is this akwafina or whatever? I think she was a joke character on Bojack Horseman or something?

in b4 somebody calls me a bigot

She is a comedian, Rapper and actress. She herself is american but her parents are from China and South Korea. She won the Hawaii International Film Festivals Halekulani Maverick Award and the Dorian Awards Rising Star of the Year award.

She was in Ocean's 8 and will star in The Angry birds movie 2 later this year.

You know you could've been cordial like Disney's Divinity instead of painting me like some out-of-touch old racist moron. I'm sorry I have a life and I'm not glued to the screen like you are Disneyfan97.

thedisneyspirit wrote:You know you could've been cordial like Disney's Divinity instead of painting me like some out-of-touch old racist moron. I'm sorry I have a life and I'm not glued to the screen like you are Disneyfan97.

I didn't mean to call you are racist at all. I don't know how you get that impression. You don't have to get angry. I didn't mean anything in a condescending way.

Also your posts seems rarther emtional at time you have tednesy to overacat.

Ah, Bette would be great. And would definitely be star casting.

I think we’re only getting Melissa McCarthy because she a bonafide box office draw— and with good reason, she is a great comedian and really one of my favorite talents. I rewatch her skits on SNL all the time. But Ursula, at least the Ursula of the 1989 film, is not her brand of comedy and Melissa is not a skilled singer. This is sadly another Emma Watson situation where Disney is casting for the name and not for the performer most suited to the role.

UmbrellaFish wrote:Ah, Bette would be great. And would definitely be star casting.

I think we’re only getting Melissa McCarthy because she a bonafide box office draw— and with good reason, she is a great comedian and really one of my favorite talents. I rewatch her skits on SNL all the time. But Ursula, at least the Ursula of the 1989 film, is not her brand of comedy and Melissa is not a skilled singer. This is sadly another Emma Watson situation where Disney is casting for the name and not for the performer most suited to the role.

I also think Melissa McCarthy, is bad casting. I would much rather have Nicki Minaj, Judi Dench , Bette Midler or Meryl Streep.

Granted i don't think there are many female roles Meryl Streep. wouldn't be good in. She is very versatile.

Lizzo would also be a great Ursula !

Also how about Eric André and Harvey Fierstein for Flotsam and Jetsam ?

I can’t really agree with comparing McCarthy to Watson because I wanted Watson to be cast as Belle before she was. She was a type-cast, since she'd played a smart, bookish, kind-but-a-little-sassy brunette already. To me, she was always the perfect choice for Belle in the same way Jolie was for Maleficent; both of them I wanted for the roles and were ecstatic when they were picked. Whereas with McCarthy, I don't have an issue with her because I know she will do a good job (since I've seen her do well in so many different roles), but I never really thought of her as the character before.

The only good thing about Ursula is anyone they cast--whether they sing well or not (and bets on them not being strong in that area going by the other remakes)--they can probably do alright anyway since PUS can be talk-sung its way through if you do it right.

thedisneyspirit wrote:You know you could've been cordial like Disney's Divinity instead of painting me like some out-of-touch old racist moron. I'm sorry I have a life and I'm not glued to the screen like you are Disneyfan97.

I don't think DisneyFan97 was targeting you or branding you as a bigot in any way, at least that's not the vibes I got from his post. His response was as civil and composed as Disney's Divinity's imo.

I forgot that they planned on gender bending Scuttle in this film. I suppose I don't really have any real problem with that but it feels like a change just for the purpose of change and that reminds me too much of the extraneous filler thrown into BATB for no rhyme and reason, except to satisfy critical fans, no matter how hamfisted and unsatisfying the changes actually turned out to be.

JeanGreyForever wrote:

thedisneyspirit wrote:You know you could've been cordial like Disney's Divinity instead of painting me like some out-of-touch old racist moron. I'm sorry I have a life and I'm not glued to the screen like you are Disneyfan97.

I don't think DisneyFan97 was targeting you or branding you as a bigot in any way, at least that's not the vibes I got from his post. His response was as civil and composed as Disney's Divinity's imo.

I forgot that they planned on gender bending Scuttle in this film. I suppose I don't really have any real problem with that but it feels like a change just for the purpose of change and that reminds me too much of the extraneous filler thrown into BATB for no rhyme and reason, except to satisfy critical fans, no matter how hamfisted and unsatisfying the changes actually turned out to be.

I have always found Scuttle to be the most annoying part of Little Mermaid, to the point that I often forget about him or block him out when I look back on the movie. He really doesn’t serve a big enough purpose within the 90 minute film to warrant his existence, so I’m hoping this change is for the better. Either way, I don’t think gender bending him hurts anything. The only thing I kind of see lacking is that I always thought Ariel was great because she was surrounded by a bunch of dumb male characters, and ended up being kind of her own hero. She had males around her but they weren’t strong or even helpful. And so her being kind of this only girl in a male dominated world, a fish out of water (buh dum tss) emphasized her story even more. But I don’t think switching will be detrimental. Plus Awkwafina is one of the funniest, most likable people in Hollywood right now. I’m excited to see Disney use her.

Narratively, is there any purpose to Chef Louis and Les Poissons? It has always seemed like an unnecessary diversion and excuse for the directors to throw in some slapstick (something they repeated with the frog hunters scene in TPATF) I would not be opposed to them eliminating that song and that character. As a child, I always hated the end of the movie when Chef Louis ruins the cake and cuts it in half trying to kill Sebastian. It was always my least favorite moment in the movie— it was a beautiful cake!

But if he is included, I could see them casting Josh Gad.