Those who grew up watching Disney classics are no strangers to the firey-haired mermaid Ariel who brushes her mane with a fork, has adorable underwater companions, and sacrifices her voice to be with her one true love.
Now, Disney is about to release a live-action version of The Little Mermaid on May 26, with the Grammy-nominated singer and actor Halle Bailey in the leading role, alongside co-stars Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy.
As with most old movies, some of the themes in Little Mermaid are outdated and play into harmful stereotypes. The very fact that Ariel sacrificed her entire life as a mermaid to be with Prince Eric is a plot line many cannot stomach. Meanwhile, others defend the original movie plot, saying that Ariel left the ocean to explore her desire to live on land.
Either way, Bailey has reassured fans that the new movie will “improve” on these themes.
So, how exactly will the new film differ from the original? Here is everything we know.
The focus of the film
Halle Bailey has shared that the movie’s focus will shift from Ariel’s willingness to give everything up for a man to exploring “Ariel’s purpose” and “what she wants”.
Speaking to Edition, the actress said: “I’m really excited for my version of the film because we’ve definitely changed that perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy.
“It’s way bigger than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life, and what she wants.
“As women, we are amazing, we are independent, we are modern, we are everything and above. And I’m glad that Disney is updating some of those themes.”
On May 26, be part of her world in Disney's #TheLittleMermaid. ✨💙🌊 pic.twitter.com/54M6W7en41
— The Little Mermaid (@LittleMermaid) April 3, 2023
Changed song lyrics
According to Pop Crave’s findings, the lyrics to the original Little Mermaid songs will also get an upgrade.
In the 1989 classic, the songs Kiss the Girl and Poor Unfortunate Events include lines that discourage seeking consent before kissing someone, and they also contain degrading messages about women.
Kiss The Girl includes the lyrics: “Yes, you want her, look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you too, there is one way to ask her, It don’t take a word, not a single word, go on and kiss the girl”.
And, in Poor Unfortunate Souls, the lyrics say that “men up there don’t like a lot of blubber, they think a girl who gossips is a bore”. It adds: “Yes, on land it’s much preferred for ladies not to say a word”.
The song goes on to explain that “true gentlemen avoid” conversation but “dote and swoon and fawn on a lady who’s withdrawn”. It advises: “It’s she who holds her tongue who gets a man”.
