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.

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.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid is coming to 4K Ultra HD for the first time. The animated classic is getting a Walt Disney Signature Collection release on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, and Blu-ray next month.

In addition to that, fans of the movie will be excited to learn that over 45 minutes of new bonus features will also be included in the release. You can find all of the details and release dates, along with a trailer for the new home video release, below.

My favorite jewelry company, RockLove Jewelry, has a devilishly delicious new line, that’s full of beautiful darkness. The Disney x Villainess Collection is dripping with evil… okay, it’s dripping with color and wonder, but either way, we all must own one or more of these gorgeous baubles from Ursula, the Queen of Hearts, and the Evil Queen.

Check out images of the collection below.