Ever since the first sneak-peek was released at D23, anticipation for the Halle Bailey-led live action adaptation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid has been steadily growing. Within days that first clip, which featured Bailey performing a stunning rendition of “Part of Your World,” had garnered over 104 million views globally. And now, with the film only a handful of months away, Disney has finally released the first proper trailer that gives audiences a better look at Ariel’s underwater world.
While the first teaser showcased Ariel and her showstopping number, the new trailer gives us a better look at some of the major players in Ariel’s story and centers around her desire to be a part of the surface world. From her daring rescue of Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) and their blossoming romance, to the stern reaction of her father King Triton (Javier Bardem), it all builds up to her encounter with the sinister sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), who brings a perfect campy, dramatic flair to the role.
The back half of the trailer is set to the “Part of Your World” reprise and features an even closer look at Ariel’s underwater kingdom, as well as a first look at the film’s other iconic musical number: the upbeat “Under the Sea,” which won Alan Menken and Howard Ashman the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1989.
Who Is In The Little Mermaid?
In addition to Bailey, Bardem, McCarthy and Hauer-King, the film is set to star Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the Crab, Jacob Tremblay as Ariel’s guppy friend Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle, who in this film is a diving bird rather than a seagull like in the original.
In addition, the film will also feature Art Malik as Prince Eric’s butler Grimsby. There are also a handful of new characters created for this version, including Queen Selina (Noma Dumezweni), Pearla (Lorena Andrea), India (Simone Ashley) and Karina (Kasja Mohammar).
The Little Mermaid will be directed by Rob Marshall from a script by David Magee and Jane Goldman. Alan Menken, who composed the soundtrack for the original film will return to write new songs for the live action adaptation, alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also serves as a producer alongside Marshall, Marc Platt, and John Deluca.
The Little Mermaid hits theaters May 26. Check out the brand-new trailer below:
