The Little Mermaid Becomes Part of Your World in New Teaser

By Cameron Bonomolo

The Little Mermaid doesn't surface in theaters until May 26th, but Disney is going under the sea with a new look at the live-action re-imagining of the beloved 1989 animated movie. From Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Disney's Mary Poppins Returns), the remake stars Halle Bailey (of R&B sister duo Chloe x Halle) as undersea princess Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King (Little Women) as the surface world's Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the crabby Sebastian, Awkwafina (Marvel's Shang-Chi) as diving bird Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay (Room) as Ariel's best fish friend Flounder, Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) as Ariel's father, King Triton, and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) as the tentacled sea witch Ursula.

New footage set to Bailey's rendition of the iconic Disney Princess song "Part of Your World" shows Ariel and Eric's oceanside meet-cute, a deal with Ursula that will leave the mermaid princess speechless, and a fiery clash between the sea witch and the trident-wielding ruler of Atlantica. Watch The Little Mermaid teaser below.

"This movie means so much to me, since I was a little girl. I think, approaching this role, I said to myself, 'I can only try my hardest and make myself proud. If I make the little girl inside me happy, then I know I did a good job and I know I'm doing my best,'" Bailey told ComicBook at D23. "I just gave it my all, and I hope people can take something away from it." 

While The Little Mermaid will flesh out the love "tail" between Ariel and the human world's Eric, the mermaid wishes to be part of his world for reasons other than romance.

"It's way bigger than that. It's about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life and what she wants," Bailey told Edition Magazine. "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."

The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton's daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father's crown – in jeopardy.

Disney's The Little Mermaid swims into theaters May 26th.

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