Disney Fans Worry the Coronavirus Pandemic May Have Impacted the Production Schedule of the Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’
Disney movies make social distancing a little bit easier. With coronavirus affecting the premiere (and production) of Disney content, fans are wondering what that means for the company’s recently announced remake of The Little Mermaid.
When will Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid premiere? Here’s what we know about the studios’ upcoming reboot.
Disney is making a live-action adaptation of ‘The Little Mermaid’
Hot off the heels of The Lion King, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp and Aladdin, Disney announced the next classic film getting a remake. This one will star Halle Bailey as the bubbly, passionate, and spirited title character, Ariel, in a live-action version of the 1989 animated movie, The Little Mermaid.
“After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance—plus a glorious singing voice—all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role,” director Rob Marshall said in a statement, according to Glamour.
However, with coronavirus impacting the theatrical release Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan, some fans are wondering what that means for movies like The Little Mermaid and Bambi, both of which the studio announced would be getting reboots in the coming years.
Some report ‘The Little Mermaid’ was to start production during early 2020
Disney may have announced Halle Bailey as the starring actress in their live-action reboot, but the details surrounding the upcoming adaptation of The Little Mermaid are still a little fuzzy. According to Oprah Magazine, the production was set to begin during early 2020. According to Radio Times, “filming and production are rumored to start in April 2020.”
Presumably, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, production has since been brought to a halt. Disney+ original shows like The Mandalorian season 2 and movies like Marvel’s Black Widow wrapped before restrictions began. However, the pandemic has since impacted the theatrical release of some films.
This, in turn, impacts the timeline by which Disney, (in addition to Marvel and Pixar,) will release their content. However, Disney has not come forward to discuss the status of this live-action adaptation. There’s no official premiere date, nor is there an official cast list available to fans.
That is, aside from the title character, some leading roles have been announced by the studio, including Awkwafina as Scuttle and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric. Melissa McCarthy is still “in talks” to portray the sea witch, Ursula.
In the meantime, fans can watch the original ‘The Little Mermaid’ on Disney+
The upcoming version of The Little Mermaid may be a few years away, some predicting it could debut during November 2021. Still, fans can stream other movies starring Ariel and her friends on Disney’s subscription service, Disney+.
That includes the original 1989, in addition to the movie’s sequel, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. There’s also the 2019 live production of The Little Mermaid, starring Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho, Full House actor John Stamos, and Chicago’s Queen Latifah, originally released on the Disney-owned television network, ABC.
More information regarding The Little Mermaid will be announced in the coming months. To learn more about Disney+ and to subscribe visit their website.
