However, according to the official novelization of Disney's story, Prince Eric is 18 years old in The Little Mermaid (via Internet Archive). The 2 year age difference between the couple in the 1989 Disney movie may be another reason for Ariel's change of age in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

How old is Prince Eric supposed to be in The Little Mermaid?

According to a page of the film's 1997 official novelization by A.L. Singer, Eric is eighteen in the film (two years older than Ariel, who is sixteen at the time of the film). Through dialogue between him and his advisor, Grimsby, it is revealed that the kingdom is eagerly awaiting the day that Eric marries.

What is the age gap between Ariel and Eric?

Ariel was just 16 in The Little Mermaid when she made a deal with the sea witch Ursula so she could pursue Prince Eric, who was 18, on the land!

How old is Ariel when she gets married?

The primary events of the film take place over the span of a few days, and I assume that the ruined Eric/”Vanessa” wedding was immediately repurposed to Eric and Ariel's, so she was at most 17 when she married Eric (if she had a birthday during that time and we didn't see it), but more likely still 16.

Where are Prince Eric's parents?

We learn that Eric, now played by John Hauer-King, is not a prince by birth— he was adopted by the king and queen. It's suggested that Eric's biological parents died in a shipwreck. We finally meet Prince Eric's mother. In the animated film, we never meet Eric's parents.

The Little Mermaid - Full Movie (2023)

Is Triton and Ursula siblings?

Ursula was played by Melissa McCarthy in the 2023 live action remake of The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall. 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.

What happened to Ariel's mother?

While it is known that her mother perished, there is no story attached to the event. However, much later, in 2008, an animated The Little Mermaid prequel revealed that Ariel's mother was crushed by a pirate ship during an altercation between humans and merpeople.

Why is Ariel only 16?

The decision to fix Ariel's age at 16 years old was also likely to appeal to the target audience of Disney's version of The Little Mermaid. Her age makes sense to the narrative of the story as it's driven by her curiosity about the world and her identity crisis; relatable themes for many at the same stage of life.

Who is the oldest Disney Princess?

They were given an official number in the franchise line-up based on the chronological order in which their films were released, starting with Snow White as the first and original Disney Princess, with Cinderella being the second, followed by Aurora and so on.

Is Ursula related to Ariel?

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.

Does Eric really love Ariel?

In the animated movie, when King Triton gives Ariel back her human form, she walks right into Eric's arms. But, for the new version, Eric can be seen missing Ariel at the palace while playing with Max, and she sneaks up on him. It's such a small change, but really shows how much Eric loves Ariel as he hugs her.

How old is Belle supposed to be?

Although multiple sources have claimed over the years that the character is 17, Henn estimated Belle to be in her early 20's. In an interview for Vanity Fair, Paige O'Hara stated to believe that Belle was the only Disney princess to be in her 20's.

What age is Elsa?

In the first Frozen movie, Elsa's age was 21, while Anna was 18. Considering Frozen revolved around Elsa's coronation, it's refreshing to see that Arendelle waited until she was a more appropriate age to receive the queen title. Frozen II occurred after a 3-year time jump, with Elsa now 24 and Anna 21.

How old is Ariel's boyfriend?

Disney's decision to age up Eric so he is 21 years old or older in The Little Mermaid does create a bigger age gap between him and Ariel than before, but this also lines up with Jonah Hauer-King's age. He was 24 years old when production began on the live-action remake.

Why is Prince Eric not a king?

The song opens with him singing, “All I ever wanted / Was the open sea and sky / Freedom from the life I always knew.” Prince Eric is resistant to following in his father's footsteps as king because while it's all he's ever known since he was adopted so young, he wasn't born into the role.

Who is the youngest Disney Princess?

Snow White

Snow White is maybe the most notable of all princesses ever put to paper or screen in Disney's illustrious history. While being the youngest princess at 14-years-old, she's also the first princess in the first animated feature ever.

Who is the 8000 year old Disney Princess?

Kida is over 8,800 years old. Fans have clamored for Kida to be included in the Disney Princess lineup for diversity purposes, but Disney executives had a feeling that Kida doesn't fit in, possibly because of the film's poor box office performance.

Who took over for Walt Disney when he died?

Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother Walter Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company. After Walt died, Roy became the chairman of the company.

What time period is Ariel set?

As with most fairy tales, this story is meant to be set in an almost timeless era so more audiences can connect with it long after the author wrote it. However, we can narrow that frame to the mid-1800s, owing to the terminology used and the royal hierarchy.

Who is Ariel's mother?

Queen Athena was the wife of King Triton, and the mother of Ariel and her six older sisters. She was the Queen of Atlantica, and beloved by her family and subjects.

When did Ariel and Eric get married?

At the end of the film, after King Triton uses his magical trident to transform Ariel into a human, she leaves the sea to live in the human world. She and Eric marry and live happily ever after.

Why do Ariel's sisters look different?

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.