Disney made significant changes to the story, including new characters and a different storyline, but these alterations improved the film and made it more family-friendly.

Why did they change The Little Mermaid story?

Things like the walking on knives detail would have been way too dark for the film's target audience of kids. On top of that, the dark ending would have gone against the film's lighthearted tone. Disney's The Little Mermaid changes were also required due to Andersen's story structure.

Is the new Little Mermaid the same story?

Disney's new 2023 live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid generally keeps the same storyline as its 1989 animated predecessor, but there are quite a few changes that take the classic story in new directions.

Why did they change The Little Mermaid cover?

With the castle being the center of the image, it did not take long for audiences to call Disney out for the phallus and the VHS cover was recalled and replaced. The phallic imagery on a children's movie cover caused a lot of controversy and many people believed Disney put the phallic imagery there on purpose.

What is the original Dark story of The Little Mermaid?

The lengths she goes to achieve that is nothing like Walt Disney's fairytale. The original story is dark that included a murder and suicide. When Little Mermaid visits Ursula, the Sea Witch she strikes a deal, swapping her voice and tongue for legs. She will only survive if she wins over the affections of the Prince.

The Little Mermaid (2023): 12 Things They Changed

What happens in the real version of Little Mermaid?

Andersen's The Little Mermaid ending is not as happy as the Disney version, as Ariel essentially sacrifices her life without getting with Eric, who never falls in love with her and marries someone else.

Was the original Little Mermaid black in the book?

The little mermaid in the book was white.

Here is how Hans Christian Andersen described the little mermaid: “They were six lovely girls, but the youngest was the most beautiful of them all.

Why did they make Scuttle a girl?

Diversity. Ariel had 3 male animal friends, so they needed to make one a girl. Same reason they made Jock a girl (Jacqueline aka Jacque) in the Lady & The Tramp live-action remake.

Is Ariel the Little Mermaid autistic?

Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” has been headcanoned as autistic, because no one who sings a song about wanting to not just learn about an interest, but literally be in that world, is neurotypical.

Why did Disney change Ariel's dress?

There was no statement by Disney as to why they made the change or where the design of this new dress came from, but it could've been a choice made to better represent her character, since the pink gown was just one that Eric's family had around the palace.

Why was Scuttle gender swapped?

Scuttle is not only changed from male to female but is also now a diving bird instead of a seagull. "This was done specifically so that Ariel would only meet Scuttle underwater, because, at the start of our story, Ariel has never dared go above the surface," director Rob Marshall said in production notes.

How did Disney change The Little Mermaid?

The way Halle Bailey plays her, the mermaid has more agency and control over her own story. Although she still can't speak for the three days that she's on land, she does sing a few numbers—“For the First Time” and a couple of “Part of Your World” reprises—in her head, narrating her reality in her own way.

Why is the new Ariel black?

On the significance of casting a Black actress as Ariel

Sherri Hope Culver: To have a Disney character who is not just a princess but a live-action, real flesh and blood person that children can be inspired by is important. This is because people of color are less likely to see themselves reflected in the media.

Why is The Little Mermaid 2023 so dark?

While lighting itself isn't all that expensive, darkness can be used to hide a lot of things. Halle Bailey is not actually a mermaid, and so having the scenes be darker makes it easier to disguise the CGI work.

What is the mental illness in The Little Mermaid?

In the movie The Little Mermaid (Clements & Musker, 1989), Ariel displays symptoms of disposophobia, which is defined as the fear of getting rid of things.

What ethnicity is Ariel the mermaid?

Disney's Ariel is not the same as Anderson's little mermaid. The movie is loosely based on the fairy tale, so Disney has the freedom to give Ariel any skin color they want. In the 1989 movie, Ariel was born in the fictional underwater kingdom of Atlantica, which technically makes her Atlantican, not Danish.

Why does only Ariel have a daughter?

Atargatis was a goddess turned mermaid who symbolized fertility. As a result, it would only be fitting for Ariel to be the Disney princess to have a daughter.

Is Ariel A Siren or a mermaid?

Ariel, in the Disney animated film, The Little Mermaid (1989), based on the classic fairy-tale by Hans Christian Andersen, is not a harmful creature, but a young mermaid who wishes to become human and join our world above water. Sirens, on the other hand, have different intentions.

Is Ursula Ariel's dad's sister?

In this version, like with the Broadway musical, Ursula is the estranged younger sister of King Triton (played by Javier Bardem), thus making her the paternal aunt to Ariel and her sisters in this film.

Is Ursula really Ariel's Aunt?

In the animated film, Ursula was a villain who enjoyed messing with people and getting what she wanted. In The Little Mermaid live-action, however, Ursula's backstory gets an adjustment — she is upgraded to Triton's sister and Ariel's aunt, making her revenge and motivations all the more sinister.

Why did they change Ariel's sisters names?

So, why the change? One theory is that each of Ariel's sisters represents different oceans that are home to various cultures and ethnicities. It's pretty problematic to have mermaids who all look the same representing such an expansive underwater world.

Why is Prince Eric's mom black?

There are several instances when Eric's mother Queen Salina (Noma Dumezweni), who is Black and adopted him as a child when he washed up from the ocean, chastises him for his obvious love for beings that are considered other.

What was Ariel's original skin color?

Yes, in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, he describes the mermaid as having a “white skin.” Andersen was a Dane, he lived in a place where anyone who wasn't pasty-white (or the sun-damaged variation of pasty-white) was a rarity.

Did the Little Mermaid 2023 flop?

The reported box office result of The Little Mermaid 2023 remake is about $560 million. On paper, these numbers look good. The film grossed over $298 million domestically and more than $263 million internationally.