This past Sunday (12), Disney released the trailer for The Little Mermaid during the 2023 Oscars break. The long-awaited mermaid film will be released on May 26 and stars Halle Bailey in the role of Ariel.
Shortly after the release of the new preview, several comparisons began to be made on social networks. After all, the trailer finally shows in more detail the characters from the feature film in addition to Ariel, such as Sebastião and Flounder.
One of them, which has generated more comments, is the way in which the realism of the feature ended up taking away the vibrant colors of the animation, leaving the bottom of the sea darker and certain characterizations less striking.
- The Little Mermaid and more from D23; see Disney ads!
As for the characters, there are also several comparisons that can be made. So, below, see the main visual differences between the 1989 animation and the 2023 live-action.
ariel
(Source: Disney/Disclosure)Source: Disney
The most talked about subject since the announcement of who would be the interpreter of Ariel, Halle Bailey, is the difference in the color of the mermaid’s skin. While the animated Ariel was white, the live-action Ariel is black. Several racist comments and movements have been made since then, with teasers and trailers for the film receiving thousands of dislikes just for the skin tone of the new princess.
Still, the released images showed that the characterization of the character is identical to the animation, from her clothes to her red hair.
Ursula
(Source: Disney/Disclosure)Source: Disney
The film’s villain is played by Melissa McCarthy and, from what can be seen, her characterization is very faithful to the animation. His long tentacles are very present and his makeup is apparent from his first appearance in the trailer.
Sole
Animal visuals are aimed at realismSource: Disney Almanac
The fish and Ariel’s best friend appears only for a glimpse in the trailer, but it is possible to see that his look will be very realistic. He is not as colorful as the character in the animation and, from what can be seen, he will be as close as possible to a real fish.
The same can also be said of the seagull and Sebastian, one of the main characters in The Little Mermaid.
Sebastian
(Source: Disney/Disclosure)Source: Disney
Just like Flounder, Ariel’s sidekick has been adapted with a more realistic look. The character now really looks like a real crab, with small eyes and big paws. The more realistic approach ended up generating astonishment on social media.
king triton
(Source: Disney/Disclosure)Source: Disney
The princess’s father has the most faithful adaptation of any live-action character. He retains his long white hair and beard and his golden crown. The most noticeable change is due to the new armor they created for the character, who didn’t wear one in the animation. The character will come to life through the interpretation of Javier Bardem.
Prince Eric
(Source: Disney/Disclosure)Source: Youtube
The heartthrob of the film also remained very faithful to the character of the animation. The difference between their look, hair and clothing is practically non-existent.
- The Little Mermaid: Meet Jonah Hauer-King, Prince Eric from the live-action
The prince will be played by British actor Jonah Hauer-King, who will have his biggest role in Disney’s live-action film. Previously, he was credited in smaller or TV-oriented productions, such as the miniseries Little Women and Mundo em Chamas.
Where to watch The Little Mermaid?
The live-action The Little Mermaid will be released in theaters on May 25. If you want to reminisce about the animated version, the original movie is currently available for streaming.
All productions involving Disney’s The Little Mermaid can be seen on the company’s content platform, Disney+. Monthly subscriptions start at BRL 27.90, but it is possible to guarantee the service in a Mercado Livre combo for BRL 14.99 per month.
