Ariel (Disney Junior)

[Patricier21]

This Ariel is weird. She doesn't look like Halle. She doesn't even have Halle's Mark. Maybe they don't want to make Disney's junior Ariel similar to Halle in order to avoid image rights and save some money.
I don't know, She looks cute but Ariel is a very famous caracteres and with this they are making people feel confused. In the social media people is complaining because they think that classic's Ariel is going to be replaced florever.

She wouldn’t look immediately like Halle, as this is a younger Ariel. It’s also established that her tail changes color, so that would maybe explain why her tail looks a little bit different than it does in the movie. In regards to flounder and probably most of the rest of the characters looking the same as their animated counterparts, well it’s kind of like the animated story book of 101 dalmatians that was released around the same time as the Glenn Close Remake, as if those characters are an animated form, they are naturally gonna look more closer to their animated counterparts etc.

[PatchofBlue]

A similar thought actually occurred to me when rumors of a racebent Ariel first started floating around, but I look at it kinda like playing through the Disney worlds in "Kingdom Hearts" or riding through the dark rides at Disneyland. Something where you're tracing out the story as laid out in the animated film but also clearly playing outside of it.

I think Disney will likely face some backlash whenever they, say, bring back the character Meet and Greets for Ariel as she appears in the animated film, but I also think it will dissipate rather quickly since the internet can only allow itself to defend any part of the remakes for so long.

I think the long term success of something like racebent Ariel will be less in whether we're seeing Halle Bailey-esque dolls five years from now and more in whether this opened any doors, in and out of Disney, for more POC characters in high profile fantasy-style films and shows.

[Thumper_93]

This Ariel is weird. She doesn't look like Halle. She doesn't even have Halle's Mark. Maybe they don't want to make Disney's junior Ariel similar to Halle in order to avoid image rights and save some money.
I don't know, She looks cute but Ariel is a very famous caracteres and with this they are making people feel confused. In the social media people is complaining because they think that classic's Ariel is going to be replaced florever.

She wouldn’t look immediately like Halle, as this is a younger Ariel. It’s also established that her tail changes color, so that would maybe explain why her tail looks a little bit different than it does in the movie. In regards to flounder and probably most of the rest of the characters looking the same as their animated counterparts, well it’s kind of like the animated story book of 101 dalmatians that was released around the same time as the Glenn Close Remake, as if those characters are an animated form, they are naturally gonna look more closer to their animated counterparts etc.

Yes, this Ariel is a younger versión but she doesn't have Halle's Mark, she doesn't have Halle's hair color and hairstyle and even the tail is completly different. They created a mix of everything so, for me, she's a completly new versión of Ariel, the third one.
The only thing that this Ariel has in common with the Halle's one is the skin color.

[blackcauldron85]

You can't just start creating multiple iterations of the same animated character like they are from different Earths or timelines the way superhero comic books do. How does this show, which is neither fully based on the original nor the remake, fit in with the rest of the franchise? Where's the continuity? Where's the consistency? They are picking and choosing elements from both, creating a Frankenstein of a show. How is that a positive thing?

This is similar to how I've always felt about the live-action remakes (and Once Upon a Time). I remember wondering, are they going to have (for example) the original Maleficent and the Angelina Maleficent co-existing in the parks? Why are there two versions of one character?

Disney has been inconsistent for a while now. I've loved a lot of their original live-action movies, but the remakes are something else.

[UmbrellaFish]

I think Disney will likely face some backlash whenever they, say, bring back the character Meet and Greets for Ariel as she appears in the animated film, but I also think it will dissipate rather quickly since the internet can only allow itself to defend any part of the remakes for so long.

Guests at Walt Disney World can meet both Ariel’s in the same day. They are listed in the Parks app as Ariel from the Animated Story and Ariel from the Live Action story.

[Mooky]

Nowhere in my comment was I advocating for a Disney multiverse-type of movie or event. I was simply pointing out that different versions of a same character can exist side by side at the same time without it creating a brand confusion or causing people aneurysms. Black Barbie (not Christie!) has been sold alongside white Barbie since the 1980s, and I don't see white Barbie hurting for it. Straight She-Ra hasn't been replaced by a lesbian She-Ra, they coexist, and each has their own fandom.

Kids who this show is aimed at don't give a crap about continuity and where the show fits, if it fits at all. (It probably doesn't.) They see a cute mermaid who can be black, white, green or whichever color Disney wants, and if they see themselves in that mermaid, that's all that matters.

I just can't wrap my head around this outrage.

We know Jodi Benson has recorded something TLM-related recently. I believe it is likely for the 100th Anniversary short.

That's an unsubstantiated rumor, they actually brought Halle Bailey to voice her in the short as Disney is on a company-wide mission to replace white Ariel with the Black one, even retroactively. Not only that, but they replaced Cinderella as well and she will now be voiced by Brandy. /s

[Thumper_93]

Nowhere in my comment was I advocating for a Disney multiverse-type of movie or event. I was simply pointing out that different versions of a same character can exist side by side at the same time without it creating a brand confusion or causing people aneurysms. Black Barbie (not Christie!) has been sold alongside white Barbie since the 1980s, and I don't see white Barbie hurting for it. Straight She-Ra hasn't been replaced by a lesbian She-Ra, they coexist, and each has their own fandom.

Black Barbie has been existing decades but they have never been sold in much countries. In Spain black versions of Barbie are not very popular so We used to have only the blonde versión of her so when someone Talk us about Barbie we use to imagine the blonde one.
The problem that I'm seeing here is that maybe in a few years the original characters are going to be less popular because these kids will have nostalgia for the new versions only

[Lele]

Kids would watch a white Mulan or Aladdin with two heads and it wouldnt matter for them. That's not an argument.

White original Barbie has always been at the center of anything Barbie related, and it's a doll brand. That's not nearly the same. An iconic Disney character having drastically different designs makes no sense.

[Mooky]

Well I don't know what else to tell you, I guess you'll just have to make your peace with the existence of a Black Ariel one way or another. In 10 years, if we end up living in a world where the blackwashed Ariel is the one dominating media and merchandise, I'll happily print out this whole discussion and literally eat my own words.

Over and out now.

[DisneyFan09]

Oh my god !

I don`t even know where to begin. Ariel looks completely off-model! There`s nothing wrong with changing her color, but at least she could look appealing or resemble her former self. But she looks completely different! I was looking forward to this show, but now I think I`ll probably going to skip it. At least Flounder looks like himself (and appealing).

[Sotiris]

Synopsis and production credits.

“Disney Junior’s Ariel” is an animated musical series for preschoolers inspired by the story of “The Little Mermaid.” It follows 8-year-old Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom and beyond. The series features classic characters from the original feature film, as well as new additions like Ariel’s best friends, mer-children Lucia and Fernie. The series is currently in production for a 2024 release across Disney platforms worldwide.

Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland
Producer: Ezra Edmond
Supervising Director: Kuni Tomita Bowen
Art Director: Chrystin Garland
Story Editors: Norma P. Sepulveda and Keith Wagner
Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior

Source: https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/magi ... 235642369/

[Vlad]

It looks kinda cute, but weird at the same time

At least, this is meant for toddlers and pre-schoolers, and I don't think we need to worry that she'll ever replace our Ariel.

[Sotiris]

More details about the show.

Wrapping up the press conference, Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis welcomed producer Lynne Southerland to the stage to provide a few more details about the series. Parents who grew up with The Little Mermaid will find that Ariel’s spirit is still curious as ever in this new series. But there will be some differences to the show, since it is catered to a preschool audience. One of the biggest ones is that Ursula, who is part of the series, hasn’t yet been banished by King Triton. She’s Ariel’s loving aunt who uses her magic powers for good. And while Ariel is adventurous, her curiosity won’t be taking her above the surface in the series. She will also have a collection of new sea friends, such as Ravi, an orange sunglass-wearing octopus who runs the Atlantica juice stand.

Ariel will do plenty of singing in the series, with a song confirmed to be included in every episode. Lynn shared that they’re leaning into musical styles of the Caribbean, specifically sharing that merengue, calypso, and chutney soca are being used. Similarly, the look of Ariel’s undersea world is heavily inspired by the colors commonly used on houses in the Caribbean. She quoted art director Chrystin Garland as referring to the world as “one colorful ocean.” Lynn’s love for the Caribbean shone throughout the brief discussion, adding that her husband has family in St. Thomas and they were married in St. Lucia.

Source: https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... -festival/

[blackcauldron85]

Ursula, who is part of the series, hasn’t yet been banished by King Triton. She’s Ariel’s loving aunt who uses her magic powers for good.

Why didn't they just make an original show with new characters? WTF is this nonsense? I know it's a dumb preschool show but the whole thing is so confusing in the continuity...

[bruno_wbt]

It makes sense.

In the original movie, Ursula said that she used to live in the palace and then at one point she was banished by King Triton.

[PatchofBlue]

But there will be some differences to the show, since it is catered to a preschool audience. One of the biggest ones is that Ursula, who is part of the series, hasn’t yet been banished by King Triton. She’s Ariel’s loving aunt who uses her magic powers for good.

And ... they lost me.

[Lele]

Have to give those kids trust issues pretty young

[Disney's Divinity]

Ursula is not Ariel's aunt in the original film and, anyway, Ursula shouldn't have been around when Ariel was a child or Ariel would remember her...

The octopus sounds cute though. Although how you sell juice underwater, I have no idea.

[Thumper_93]

It doesn't have any sense that Ursula appears in this show as a good character. She's supossed to be good and She loves Ariel but a few years later She uses her to hurt Triton...
I always thought that Ursula is bad with no reason. She wants power and that majes her do bad things. Turning her into Mother Teresa is an offense to the character essence...

[Sotiris]

Both Ursula and Triton will be Black in this show. This confirms it's a reboot with no ties to the animated original or the live-action remake. If you ask me, rebooting/reimagining a classic in animation is worse than doing it in live-action. It creates more brand confusion and dilutes the IP. There shouldn't be two different Ariels in the same medium.


Source: https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/ ... orts-more/


Source: https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/ ... orts-more/

Disney Junior's Ariel — (Premieres 2024 on Disney Junior and Disney+)
Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior
Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland
Producer: Ezra Edmond
Supervising Director: Kuni Tomita
Art Director: Chrystin Garland
Story Editors: Norma P. Sepulveda and Keith Wagner

Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) has been cast in the lead role of Ariel in Disney Junior’s Ariel, an animated musical series for preschoolers inspired by the beloved story of “The Little Mermaid.” Broadway, film and television stars Taye Diggs (Rent) and Amber Riley (Glee) will voice King Triton and Ursula in the series, which follows 8-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond. In addition to Harris, Diggs and Riley, the series stars Elizabeth Phoenix Caro (The Christmas Chronicles) and Cruz Flateau (SuperKitties) as Ariel’s friends Lucia and Fernie, respectively, and Gracen Newton (Puppy Dog Pals) as Flounder.

Source: https://deadline.com/2023/08/mickey-mou ... 235522073/