It looks like another one of the main characters has been cast for The Little Mermaid, Disney’s live-action remake of their 1989 animated classic of the same name.

It’s being reported that Daveed Diggs is in talks to join the cast. If ink meets paper he’ll voice the role of Sebastian the crab, who sang the Academy Award-winning song “Under the Sea” in the animated original.

Aladdin (2019)
4K Ultra HD | Blu-ray | DVD | Digital
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Guy Ritchie, John August
Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Alan Tudyk, Billy Magnussen
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Rated PG | Runtime: 128 Minutes
Release Date: September 10, 2019

Walt Disney Studios continues to go through its vault to turn their animated classics into live-action films. Their latest is Aladdin. Based on the 1992 animated film of the same name, this live-action take is directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his penchant for fun and stylized action sequences and a cast of wonderful characters to his first family-friendly film. The updated film dazzles thanks in part to its cast, consisting of Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Will Smith, and its new take on some favorite songs.

Now, Disney’s hit film has its own release, along with some of the bonus features that detail the making of this live-action remake.

Casting for The Little Mermaid is already in full swing. Hailey Bailey will play the titular role, while others like Melissa McCarthy, Awkwafina, and Jacob Tremblay will play supporting roles.

But this really wouldn’t be a Little Mermaid reimagining without its Prince Eric. According to a new report, Dunkirk star and One Direction bandmate Harry Styles is in talks to play the role of the young prince who Ariel dreams of being with. More on the report below.

Things have been moving along swimmingly for the casting of director Rob Marshall’s The Little Mermaid. The new telling is the latest Disney film to get a live-action treatment.

Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, Can You Ever Forgive Me), Jacob Tremblay (Room, The Predator), and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell) are in talks to play Ursula, Flounder, and Scuttle, respectively. And now the most important character of all has been cast.

Disney has confirmed that Halle Bailey will play Ariel in the new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. More on this below.

Part of the Disney formula lately is to turn their animated classics into live-action films. And for the most part, they have been commercial hits. This year alone, we’ve seen Dumbo and Aladdin reach the number one spot at the box office. Let’s not forget that they also have The Lion King and Maleficent 2 coming out in theaters later this year. So if it works, why not continue on releasing these live-action takes.

One of the future remakes will be The Little Mermaid, which is more or less an obvious choice considering how it is a favorite amongst Disney fans. And now we are getting to see who might star in it. According to various reports, Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, Can You Ever Forgive Me), Jacob Tremblay (Room, The Predator), and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell) are all in various stages of negotiations to star in the film about a rebellious teenage mermaid who dreams of being amongst the surface dwellers. Check out the full report below.

Guy Ritchie‘s filmography is splattered with heavy amounts of witty dialogue and gritty action sequences. While it may not necessarily lend itself well to a Disney family-friendly film, his filmmaking style works in Aladdin. Based on the 1992 animated film of the same name, the upcoming live-action version is part of a successful trend that has Disney going through their vault to see which one of the animated classics they could reimagine into a live-action film next.

There’s action, suspense, and a bit of romance. But there is also humor, singing, and dancing. All of these are key aspects the animated original had. So to say that director Ritchie and the cast had a huge responsibility to do the film justice would be a vast understatement. And yet, they pulled it off.

Geeks Of Doom attended the Aladdin global press conference with their fellow journalists to talk to Ritchie about the production, how he stayed true to the spirit of the animated original, his style of filmmaking, the positive vibes that helped set up the camaraderie and set the tone, and more. Check out what he had to say here below.

Based on the 1992 animated classic of the same name, Aladdin was one of Disney’s first animated features to have characters of color. Representation is important in this day and age because it allows people of color and the marginalized to see themselves in the characters seen on screen. So it was significantly important to reflect that in the casting of the live-action adaptation of Aladdin. Though there were reports of some casting issues, director Guy Ritchie and the rest of the Disney team were dedicated to finding the right actors for the film. And they found them in Mena Massoud, who plays the title character, and Naomi Scott, who plays Princess Jasmine.

Geeks of Doom and a group of journalists were invited to attend the global press conference in Los Angeles, CA, where Massoud and Scott talked about what it was like to be a part of the production, working with Ritchie, and how they all infused some of their own personalities and quirks into the characters while also respecting the animated original. Check out what they had to say below.

Disney’s live-action take on Aladdin will see Will Smith bring the high-spirited and energetic Genie to life. With his own brand of charisma and a bit of hip-hop flair, this Genie is not like the Robin Williams take in the animated original, but the performance still pays homage to the late comedian. In fact, the actor says the remake is the highlight of his career. And you can see how much fun he is having in that performance.

Geeks of Doom and a group of journalists were invited to sit down at the Aladdin global press conference where Smith spoke about believing in that Disney magic, how he made some of those memorable songs his own, finding a career resurgence, and what representation means to him. Check out what he had to see below.

The Little Mermaid
4k Ultra HD | Blu-ray
Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Writer: Ron Clements, John Musker
Cast: Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Buddy Hackett, and René Auberjonois
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Rated G | Minutes: 83
Release Date: February 26, 2019

Though hand-drawn animation may not be as common in movies as it once was before the days of Pixar, it is still a process that anyone can appreciate. And Disney’s The Little Mermaid reminds us about how the medium, along with a wonderful story, can work together in tandem to deliver a very entertaining effort.

As one of the films that helped launch the Disney Renaissance, 1989’s The Little Mermaid still has a story that resonates with its young audience today about a free-spirited young mermaid who wants to break free from her father, King Trident. Though he wants the best for her, she finds herself wanting more than being under the sea as she falls in love with Prince Eric, a dashing young human mariner.

In an attempt to be the one with she loves, Ariel signs a contract with Ursula, an evil sea witch, and in exchange for her voice, she is able to walk amongst the surface dwellers and has only 72 hours to get Eric to kiss her so she will regain her voice and make the change permanent. Check out the full review of the newly released 4k Ultra HD edition here below.

Trailers for Disney’s live-action adaptation of Aladdin have been relying on old familiar themes and elements from the animated original. At the same time, there needed to be some new additions to generate a new wave of fans who may have never seen the Ron Clements‎ and ‎John Musker-directed original or just may not have been around to see it.

While that may have worked for some, a brand new trailer gives us a better sense of the size and scope of the live-action remake while also bringing back some of the more memorable scenes from the 1992 film. Check it out below.