The world recently said farewell to Roger Corman, the legendary B-movie producer, writer, director, and performer who passed away at the well-lived age of 98. Corman completely revolutionized the film industry, not only with his independent spirit and penchant for low-budget fare, but also serving as a launchpad for some of cinema's greatest creatives, including Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, Jack Nicholson, and Penelope Spheeris, and that's just scratching the surface.
Known by many for his hundreds of produced films, Corman was also a well-decorated director in his own right, helming 55 films before his death. Corman dabbled in any and all genres, with comedy, drama, horror, exploitation, monster, sci-fi, sexploitation, gothic, and action all well-represented throughout his filmography. In honor of the King of B-movies and one of the most prolific filmmakers of all time, here are his 10 best films as a director, ranked.
Known by many for his hundreds of produced films, Corman was also a well-decorated director in his own right, helming 55 films before his death. Corman dabbled in any and all genres, with comedy, drama, horror, exploitation, monster, sci-fi, sexploitation, gothic, and action all well-represented throughout his filmography. In honor of the King of B-movies and one of the most prolific filmmakers of all time, here are his 10 best films as a director, ranked.
- 5/17/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Composer Howard Ashman’s body of work will be celebrated at ASCAP’s Musical Theatre Fest.
The conversation, titled “Part of Our World: Celebrating the Life & Lyrics of Howard Ashman,” will feature interviews and performances from “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and more selections across the composer’s career.
Now in its second year, the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from May 14 to 21.
The festival will focus on music from film and TV animation, featuring award-winning composers and top executives from film and TV animation studios, geared to aspiring musical theatre writers.
Glenn Slater, Heitor Pereira (“Despicable Me”), Future Vega (“Fast & Furious Spy Racers”) and Raye Zaragoza (“Spirit Rangers”) are some of the ASCAP composers scheduled to appear.
Panel discussions with studio executives include Alexandra Nickson, Vivian Buff, Joe D’Ambrosia and Jay Stutler. Conversations will focus...
The conversation, titled “Part of Our World: Celebrating the Life & Lyrics of Howard Ashman,” will feature interviews and performances from “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and more selections across the composer’s career.
Now in its second year, the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from May 14 to 21.
The festival will focus on music from film and TV animation, featuring award-winning composers and top executives from film and TV animation studios, geared to aspiring musical theatre writers.
Glenn Slater, Heitor Pereira (“Despicable Me”), Future Vega (“Fast & Furious Spy Racers”) and Raye Zaragoza (“Spirit Rangers”) are some of the ASCAP composers scheduled to appear.
Panel discussions with studio executives include Alexandra Nickson, Vivian Buff, Joe D’Ambrosia and Jay Stutler. Conversations will focus...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
It's a testament to Disney's branding that mainstream audiences don't necessarily know who directed or starred in some of their better-known movies. Although many have seen the studio's 1950 animated feature "Cinderella," most audiences wouldn't be able to tell you that Ilene Woods played the title character, or that Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi directed the film. Disney's "Aladdin" changed that with the casting of Robin Williams as the Genie. And the trend of hiring known screen celebrities, often not voice actors, to sell an animated feature to a broad audience went to a whole other level in the wake of DreamWorks' "Shrek." The advent of the internet also helped certain actresses become known among Disney fans. Nowadays, many adults know the names of the actresses who played characters like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Ariel the Mermaid.
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
What are the greatest songs by Ariana Grande? The singer with her signature powerhouse voice has made a name for herself on the charts and on the awards scene, so we’ve ranked our favorite songs she has recorded … so far. Did your favorite make the cut? And what do you think of our choice for her best song ever?
Grande started out on Broadway when she was just 15 in the musical “13,” which featured an entirely teenage cast. Then she broke out even bigger a couple of years later when she played Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon comedy “Victorious” in the early 2010s and then its spinoff “Sam and Cat.”
SEEBiggest Grammy Winners of All Time: See The Most Awarded Artists
Like other artists who came before her — including Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato — she turned her notoriety on kids’ TV into a bestselling music career.
Grande started out on Broadway when she was just 15 in the musical “13,” which featured an entirely teenage cast. Then she broke out even bigger a couple of years later when she played Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon comedy “Victorious” in the early 2010s and then its spinoff “Sam and Cat.”
SEEBiggest Grammy Winners of All Time: See The Most Awarded Artists
Like other artists who came before her — including Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato — she turned her notoriety on kids’ TV into a bestselling music career.
- 3/22/2024
- by Kevin Jacobsen and Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
After dabbling in TV for much of the last decade, Gremlins and The Howling director Joe Dante is set to return to feature filmmaking with his first project since 2014’s Burying the Ex. Dante, who kicked off his career in the late 1970s with the Roger Corman-backed Hollywood Boulevard and Piranha, will now reunite with the legendary filmmaker for a reboot of Little Shop of Horrors.
Initially directed by Corman in 1960 as a micro-budget feature (starring a young Jack Nicholson!), the story was then re-popularized in the 1980s with Frank Oz’s take, itself based on Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman’s Off-Broadway play. This new version is titled Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, Deadline reports. Corman will produce Dante’s reboot, which is described as a hopeful franchise-starter (continuer?), but there are no other specific details outside of the obvious Halloween theme of the title.
The original...
Initially directed by Corman in 1960 as a micro-budget feature (starring a young Jack Nicholson!), the story was then re-popularized in the 1980s with Frank Oz’s take, itself based on Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman’s Off-Broadway play. This new version is titled Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, Deadline reports. Corman will produce Dante’s reboot, which is described as a hopeful franchise-starter (continuer?), but there are no other specific details outside of the obvious Halloween theme of the title.
The original...
- 3/18/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
A remake of Little Shop Of Horrors is in the works with director Joe Dante and original creator Roger Corman.
The last update we had on a remake of Little Shop Of Horrors was back in 2020, when it was reported that Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were set to star, with Greg Berlanti directing from a script by Matthew Robinson.
It now appears those plans have been abandoned in favour of a different creative team. Described as a “reimagining intended to jumpstart a new franchise”, Little Shop Of Halloween Horrors will be directed by Joe Dante, according to Deadline.
Charles S Haas, who previously collaborated with Dante on Gremlins 2: The New Batch, will write the screenplay. Roger Corman will co-produce with Brad Krevoy.
The story originated as low-budget film directed by Corman and co-starring a young Jack Nicholson. Little Shop Of Horrors quickly cemented itself as a...
The last update we had on a remake of Little Shop Of Horrors was back in 2020, when it was reported that Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were set to star, with Greg Berlanti directing from a script by Matthew Robinson.
It now appears those plans have been abandoned in favour of a different creative team. Described as a “reimagining intended to jumpstart a new franchise”, Little Shop Of Halloween Horrors will be directed by Joe Dante, according to Deadline.
Charles S Haas, who previously collaborated with Dante on Gremlins 2: The New Batch, will write the screenplay. Roger Corman will co-produce with Brad Krevoy.
The story originated as low-budget film directed by Corman and co-starring a young Jack Nicholson. Little Shop Of Horrors quickly cemented itself as a...
- 3/18/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Exclusive: Iconic filmmakers Joe Dante and Roger Corman are teaming with Emmy-nominated veteran producer Brad Krevoy, CEO of Mpca, on Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, a reboot of Corman’s famed 1960 horror comedy, Little Shop of Horrors.
A reimagining intended to jumpstart a new franchise, Little Shop of Halloween Horrors will be directed by Dante, from a script by Charles S. Haas (Gremlins 2: The New Batch), with Corman and Krevoy co-producing. Also joining the project is independent producer Charles Cohen, who previously worked at T-Street, where he oversaw and executive produced the Republic Pictures release Snack Shack, in addition to developing other projects for the company.
Originating as a low-budget genre flick directed by Corman and co-starring a young Jack Nicholson, the first Little Shop of Horrors quickly cemented itself as a cult classic following its release in 1960. Shot on a shoestring budget, pic tells the...
A reimagining intended to jumpstart a new franchise, Little Shop of Halloween Horrors will be directed by Dante, from a script by Charles S. Haas (Gremlins 2: The New Batch), with Corman and Krevoy co-producing. Also joining the project is independent producer Charles Cohen, who previously worked at T-Street, where he oversaw and executive produced the Republic Pictures release Snack Shack, in addition to developing other projects for the company.
Originating as a low-budget genre flick directed by Corman and co-starring a young Jack Nicholson, the first Little Shop of Horrors quickly cemented itself as a cult classic following its release in 1960. Shot on a shoestring budget, pic tells the...
- 3/15/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s early afternoon on a Friday when Darren Criss and Evan Rachel Wood pick up the phone, just five days before they are set to debut as the new Seymour and Audrey in off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors.
Both are on their way to the Westside Theatre stage for their first top-to-bottom run-through, taking over the complicated but beloved characters based on Roger Corman’s 1960 horror comedy and deftly adapted for the stage by theater legends Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music).
Now in the fifth year of the U.S. revival of the dark goings-on of a Skid Row flower shop, several notable names have left their mark on the show: Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Conrad Ricamora, Corbin Bleu, Constance Wu, Maude Apatow, Tammy Blanchard and Lena Hall. But none quite like this, as an intentional leap together among friends.
As the interview begins,...
Both are on their way to the Westside Theatre stage for their first top-to-bottom run-through, taking over the complicated but beloved characters based on Roger Corman’s 1960 horror comedy and deftly adapted for the stage by theater legends Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music).
Now in the fifth year of the U.S. revival of the dark goings-on of a Skid Row flower shop, several notable names have left their mark on the show: Jonathan Groff, Jeremy Jordan, Conrad Ricamora, Corbin Bleu, Constance Wu, Maude Apatow, Tammy Blanchard and Lena Hall. But none quite like this, as an intentional leap together among friends.
As the interview begins,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Darren Criss and Evan Rachel Wood will be stopping by the Little Shop of Horrors early next year, according to the Glee alum.
In a recent appearance on SiriusXM, Criss said that he would be making a limited run in the musical alongside Wood starting in late January.
“Folks, Evan [Rachel Wood] and I, if you haven’t heard, will be going into Little Shop of Horrors at the West Side Theatre Off-Broadway, and I’m going to be doing that from I think late January through the End of March,” Broadway World reported. “It’ll be short and sweet, but I’m so excited to be announcing that to you if you didn’t already know that.”
Criss and Wood will be taking over the lead roles of Seymour and Audrey, respectively, beginning Jan. 30.
“The casting of this show has become one of the greatest joys of our lives.
In a recent appearance on SiriusXM, Criss said that he would be making a limited run in the musical alongside Wood starting in late January.
“Folks, Evan [Rachel Wood] and I, if you haven’t heard, will be going into Little Shop of Horrors at the West Side Theatre Off-Broadway, and I’m going to be doing that from I think late January through the End of March,” Broadway World reported. “It’ll be short and sweet, but I’m so excited to be announcing that to you if you didn’t already know that.”
Criss and Wood will be taking over the lead roles of Seymour and Audrey, respectively, beginning Jan. 30.
“The casting of this show has become one of the greatest joys of our lives.
- 12/24/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Animated flicks don’t get the justice they deserve when it comes to the Academy Awards. So often, animated movies are some of the most original, memorable, and well-told stories of the entire year yet they are, more often than not, confined to the category of Best Animated Picture.
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” “Fantasia,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “The Lion King,” “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-e,” “Shrek,” and last year’s Best Animated Picture winner, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” are just a handful of all-time classic movies that aren’t great animated movies, they are great movies period. Despite this, however, we have only had three animated movies in Oscars history that have been nominated for Best Picture.
“Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated movie to do so, landing a Best Picture bid in 1991. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, “Beauty and the Beast...
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” “Fantasia,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “The Lion King,” “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “Wall-e,” “Shrek,” and last year’s Best Animated Picture winner, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” are just a handful of all-time classic movies that aren’t great animated movies, they are great movies period. Despite this, however, we have only had three animated movies in Oscars history that have been nominated for Best Picture.
“Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated movie to do so, landing a Best Picture bid in 1991. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, “Beauty and the Beast...
- 9/8/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
There have certainly been musical moments in “Star Trek” before: Uhura sang while Spock played his lyre in “The Original Series”; Data and Picard duet to Gilbert and Sullivan in “Insurrection”; James Darren played a holographic nightclub singer on “Deep Space Nine.” But it took “Strange New Worlds,” the critically revered Paramount+ series nearing the end of its second season, to stage an entire musical episode.
In “Subspace Rhapsody,” Anson Mount’s Capt. Pike falls to his knees singing an emo song to his girlfriend (somewhat embarrassingly in front of everybody on the bridge of the Enterprise); Paul Wesley’s Kirk strikes a Donny Osmond-esque pose; Jess Bush’s Nurse Chapel is hoisted aloft on her back like Satine in “Moulin Rouge!”; Ethan Peck’s Spock croons about his heartbreak; Christina Chong’s La’an gets her own Howard Ashman-style “I want!” song; and actual Grammy-winning singer/Broadway...
In “Subspace Rhapsody,” Anson Mount’s Capt. Pike falls to his knees singing an emo song to his girlfriend (somewhat embarrassingly in front of everybody on the bridge of the Enterprise); Paul Wesley’s Kirk strikes a Donny Osmond-esque pose; Jess Bush’s Nurse Chapel is hoisted aloft on her back like Satine in “Moulin Rouge!”; Ethan Peck’s Spock croons about his heartbreak; Christina Chong’s La’an gets her own Howard Ashman-style “I want!” song; and actual Grammy-winning singer/Broadway...
- 8/3/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
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Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is in theaters now and winning over audiences everywhere. But fans have also been charmed by the Little Mermaid soundtrack, which is now available to stream or buy online.
See Tickets and Showtimes for The Little Mermaid (2023)
The 2023 Little Mermaid soundtrack features all the memorable songs from the original 1989 animated film, plus four new original songs composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda...
Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid is in theaters now and winning over audiences everywhere. But fans have also been charmed by the Little Mermaid soundtrack, which is now available to stream or buy online.
See Tickets and Showtimes for The Little Mermaid (2023)
The 2023 Little Mermaid soundtrack features all the memorable songs from the original 1989 animated film, plus four new original songs composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda...
- 5/31/2023
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
In early May, Disney announced it would be removing various titles from its streaming services, Hulu and Disney+, in a move reminiscent of Warner Bros. Discovery late last year. Despite Twitter bullying the company into keeping the 2018 documentary on The Little Mermaid animator Howard Ashman (as its live-action remake hit theaters), it wasn’t able to save over 105 titles on the chopping block. Disney gave audiences a week to watch these titles before they were permanently removed from the platforms as a cost-cutting measure. Rosaline, Willow, Cheaper by the Dozen (2022), and several other titles with recent premieres have been removed. Older fan favorites like Marvel’s Runaways have been scrubbed from both platforms. With no physical releases or complimentary YouTube uploads, there’s no way to watch most of these shows legally. It’s possible we could see these shows resurface on a Fast service, but that remains to be confirmed.
- 5/30/2023
- TV Insider
Remaking Disney's animated classics is a fool's errand, and yet a lucrative enough one that many filmmakers have tried their hand at it and mostly come up empty. So far, the only director to have moderate success at the task is indie darling David Lowery, who's batting two for two after this spring's underrated if flawed "Peter Pan and Wendy" and the 2016 family drama "Pete's Dragon."
It's to Lowery's credit that in each case, he's tackled a pre-existing title that either has a checkered and controversial history ("Peter Pan") or boasts a small enough fanbase that redoing the entire story won't alienate too many people ("Pete's Dragon"). But if you step too far off the beaten path with remaking titles from Disney's Renaissance era of the 1980s and 1990s, you risk angering most viewers. The alternative: films like "The Little Mermaid," the latest Disney remake that purports to change...
It's to Lowery's credit that in each case, he's tackled a pre-existing title that either has a checkered and controversial history ("Peter Pan") or boasts a small enough fanbase that redoing the entire story won't alienate too many people ("Pete's Dragon"). But if you step too far off the beaten path with remaking titles from Disney's Renaissance era of the 1980s and 1990s, you risk angering most viewers. The alternative: films like "The Little Mermaid," the latest Disney remake that purports to change...
- 5/30/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
There wouldn't be "The Little Mermaid" without Howard Ashman. There probably wouldn't be many of the most beloved Disney movies without him. Ashman was credited as a lyricist on 1989's "The Little Mermaid," 1991's "Beauty and the Beast," and 1992's "Aladdin," but he also worked as a storyteller behind the scenes, whipping the movies into shape and helping create the framework of a Disney animated movie that the studio continued to use throughout the '90s.
Don Hahn, who produced "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," said in his 2009 documentary, "Waking Sleeping Beauty," about the history of Walt Disney Feature Animation, "Howard is referred to by Roy Disney as another Walt. To us, and to our generation, he was a Walt Disney type." Hahn also directed the 2018 documentary "Howard" about Ashman's life and his work for Disney.
"The animation studio was basically shutting down," Jodi Benson, who voices Ariel in the original film,...
Don Hahn, who produced "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," said in his 2009 documentary, "Waking Sleeping Beauty," about the history of Walt Disney Feature Animation, "Howard is referred to by Roy Disney as another Walt. To us, and to our generation, he was a Walt Disney type." Hahn also directed the 2018 documentary "Howard" about Ashman's life and his work for Disney.
"The animation studio was basically shutting down," Jodi Benson, who voices Ariel in the original film,...
- 5/29/2023
- by Victoria Edel
- Popsugar.com
“The Little Mermaid” made moviegoers want to be under the sea on Memorial Day weekend.
Disney’s live-action remake of its 1989 animated classic easily outswam the competition, bringing in $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Read More: Halle Bailey Meets Adorable Young Fan With ‘Little Mermaid’ Doll At U.K. Premiere
And Disney estimates the film starring Halle Bailey as the titular mermaid Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as her sea witch nemesis Ursula will reach $117.5 million by the time the holiday is over. It ranks as the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever.
It displaces “Fast X” in the top spot. The 10th installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise starring Vin Diesel has lagged behind more recent releases in the series, bringing in $23 million domestically for a two-week total of $108 million for Universal Pictures.
In its fourth weekend, Disney and Marvel’s “ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3...
Disney’s live-action remake of its 1989 animated classic easily outswam the competition, bringing in $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Read More: Halle Bailey Meets Adorable Young Fan With ‘Little Mermaid’ Doll At U.K. Premiere
And Disney estimates the film starring Halle Bailey as the titular mermaid Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as her sea witch nemesis Ursula will reach $117.5 million by the time the holiday is over. It ranks as the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever.
It displaces “Fast X” in the top spot. The 10th installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise starring Vin Diesel has lagged behind more recent releases in the series, bringing in $23 million domestically for a two-week total of $108 million for Universal Pictures.
In its fourth weekend, Disney and Marvel’s “ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3...
- 5/29/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Disney’s latest live-action adaptation, The Little Mermaid, is here! As per studio standards, it is a significant expansion of the 1989 animated classic, increasing it by a whopping 52 minutes. Everything about this film is bigger than its predecessor. Bigger, mind you, but not better.
Part of the increased runtime comes from new music; there are three new songs added to the mix — “Wild Uncharted Waters,” “For the First Time,” and “Scuttlebutt.” There’s also an additional reprise for the classic “Part of Your World,” as well as lyrical changes/omissions...
Part of the increased runtime comes from new music; there are three new songs added to the mix — “Wild Uncharted Waters,” “For the First Time,” and “Scuttlebutt.” There’s also an additional reprise for the classic “Part of Your World,” as well as lyrical changes/omissions...
- 5/27/2023
- by Barry Levitt
- Rollingstone.com
When it was released in 1989, Disney’s The Little Mermaid was a creative breath of fresh air for an animation studio thought to be well beyond its glory days. The bouncy, colorful fairy tale, fueled by instant-classic songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, kick-started a renaissance for Disney animation, taking it beyond the drab days of The Rescuers and Oliver & Company and into an era that included Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
But like those three classics – each one rightfully considered a gem in the Mouse House’s crown – The Little Mermaid has now long been milked for all possible profit through theatrical re-releases, home video sales and sequels, amusement park rides, and Broadway musicals. It now receives Disney’s last squeeze: a creatively inferior, bloated live-action remake that trades the energy of animation for cinematic karaoke.
Rob Marshall brings Disney’s version of the...
But like those three classics – each one rightfully considered a gem in the Mouse House’s crown – The Little Mermaid has now long been milked for all possible profit through theatrical re-releases, home video sales and sequels, amusement park rides, and Broadway musicals. It now receives Disney’s last squeeze: a creatively inferior, bloated live-action remake that trades the energy of animation for cinematic karaoke.
Rob Marshall brings Disney’s version of the...
- 5/26/2023
- by Chris Williams
- CinemaNerdz
Director Rob Marshall knew from the outset that the hardest part of his live-action reimagining of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” would be pulling off the Oscar-winning “Under the Sea” Caribbean musical number. It wasn’t just the tricky translation from 2D to CG with hundreds of singing photoreal fish in the underwater environment (courtesy of Framestore’s expert animation) but also the complicated dance choreography set to the toe-tapping song by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (to whom the film is dedicated).
And they killed it: The joyous musical number is the animated highlight of the film, which deservedly got the loudest applause at early screenings.
Performed by Sebastian the crab (voiced by Daveed Diggs), the song is a plea for young mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) to forget about joining Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) in the human world and stay sea-bound where she belongs. Considering the beauty,...
And they killed it: The joyous musical number is the animated highlight of the film, which deservedly got the loudest applause at early screenings.
Performed by Sebastian the crab (voiced by Daveed Diggs), the song is a plea for young mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) to forget about joining Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) in the human world and stay sea-bound where she belongs. Considering the beauty,...
- 5/26/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Plot: Young Ariel (Halle Bailey) yearns to explore the world beyond the sea but is forbidden by her father, King Triton (Javier Bardem). When she meets a handsome prince (Jonah Hauer-King), she hitches a plan to explore dry land but makes a deadly bargain with the evil Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), which could imperil the undersea kingdom.
Review: I’ve never really been down with Disney’s decision to take all their best-animated films and make them into live-action. To me, it’s never made sense. Would you make Toy Story live-action? What’s worse is that, typically, these live-action movies run at least half an hour longer than their animated counterparts and are bloated with extraneous musical numbers and plotting, making them an altogether less fun experience than the classics we grew up with. Have any of them been good? I suppose Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book comes the closest.
Review: I’ve never really been down with Disney’s decision to take all their best-animated films and make them into live-action. To me, it’s never made sense. Would you make Toy Story live-action? What’s worse is that, typically, these live-action movies run at least half an hour longer than their animated counterparts and are bloated with extraneous musical numbers and plotting, making them an altogether less fun experience than the classics we grew up with. Have any of them been good? I suppose Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book comes the closest.
- 5/26/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
"The Little Mermaid" was a vital turning point for Disney. Released in 1989, it was the first princess story in 30 years since "Sleeping Beauty," Ariel was a rebellious heroine like no other, and composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman created a Broadway-style soundtrack. The songs have emotional depth, guide the story along, and communicate the characters' inner desires.
The incredible vocal talents of the original film made these songs treasures. Jodi Benson's sweet, crystalline voice — especially in her pivotal number "Part of Your World" — defined Ariel as an adventurous young woman and a new generation of princesses who would stop at nothing to get what they want. Samuel E. Wright's booming voice and vivacious energy are perfect for the overdramatic crustacean — especially the classic romp "Under the Sea." The dramatic, deep-throated performance of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" by Pat Carroll is delightfully wicked. These musical numbers are beloved classics,...
The incredible vocal talents of the original film made these songs treasures. Jodi Benson's sweet, crystalline voice — especially in her pivotal number "Part of Your World" — defined Ariel as an adventurous young woman and a new generation of princesses who would stop at nothing to get what they want. Samuel E. Wright's booming voice and vivacious energy are perfect for the overdramatic crustacean — especially the classic romp "Under the Sea." The dramatic, deep-throated performance of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" by Pat Carroll is delightfully wicked. These musical numbers are beloved classics,...
- 5/26/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
David Zaslav is many things, but you can’t say he isn’t a bit of a trendsetter. Almost a full year after the great HBO Max culling of 2022 and the announcement that the streamer was relaunching as Max, Disney’s prepping to do the same exact thing with their own twin streamers.
On May 10, Bob Iger confirmed that by the end of this calendar year, Hulu will become a tile on Disney+, merging one of the oldest streamers on the market (it launched in 2007) with its much younger sibling. It’s a similar move to the upcoming Paramount+ and Showtime merger happening over at Paramount Global next month. And as the merger approaches, Disney is going to the same playbook as those companies by removing content from both platforms, in a move Iger referred to as “part of the maturation process as we grow into a business that we had never been in.
On May 10, Bob Iger confirmed that by the end of this calendar year, Hulu will become a tile on Disney+, merging one of the oldest streamers on the market (it launched in 2007) with its much younger sibling. It’s a similar move to the upcoming Paramount+ and Showtime merger happening over at Paramount Global next month. And as the merger approaches, Disney is going to the same playbook as those companies by removing content from both platforms, in a move Iger referred to as “part of the maturation process as we grow into a business that we had never been in.
- 5/24/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’ (Photo © 2023 Disney Enterprises)
Some fans of Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid are worried about the live-action version, questioning the addition of new songs, the fact that Ariel’s hair isn’t red enough, and the changes in Eric’s castle and Ariel’s costumes. And these complaints/concerns are based solely on the trailers. But the absolute funniest takeaway I heard before the screening – and the one I can get behind – has to do with Flounder.
I wasn’t thinking fast enough to write down the fan’s hot take, but it went something like this: “It seems everyone in Hollywood is taking Ozempic, including Flounder.” Nailed it, sort of, because the live-action version of Ariel’s finned Bff is slimmed down and way too sleek.
Nitpicking? Yes. But the Mouse House sets itself up for such...
Some fans of Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid are worried about the live-action version, questioning the addition of new songs, the fact that Ariel’s hair isn’t red enough, and the changes in Eric’s castle and Ariel’s costumes. And these complaints/concerns are based solely on the trailers. But the absolute funniest takeaway I heard before the screening – and the one I can get behind – has to do with Flounder.
I wasn’t thinking fast enough to write down the fan’s hot take, but it went something like this: “It seems everyone in Hollywood is taking Ozempic, including Flounder.” Nailed it, sort of, because the live-action version of Ariel’s finned Bff is slimmed down and way too sleek.
Nitpicking? Yes. But the Mouse House sets itself up for such...
- 5/23/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
I have a confession to make. I'm not a big fan of Disney's 1989 adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." There are aspects of it I do enjoy, but the story surrounding Ariel and Prince Eric's romance hasn't aged well. At all.
So much so, in fact, that when my toddler asks to watch "the merfmaid" (Ariel's Undersea Adventure attraction at Disney California Adventure introduced her to the Disney version of the tale), I turn on the direct-to-video prequel released in 2008: "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning." Does the movie hold a flame to the first film? It does not. But even though the mom dies in "Ariel's Beginning", it doesn't send the message to my daughter that girls should sacrifice parts of themselves to be with someone, much less someone you just met, where the only connection you share is that you both think the other is attractive.
It's been 34 years...
So much so, in fact, that when my toddler asks to watch "the merfmaid" (Ariel's Undersea Adventure attraction at Disney California Adventure introduced her to the Disney version of the tale), I turn on the direct-to-video prequel released in 2008: "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning." Does the movie hold a flame to the first film? It does not. But even though the mom dies in "Ariel's Beginning", it doesn't send the message to my daughter that girls should sacrifice parts of themselves to be with someone, much less someone you just met, where the only connection you share is that you both think the other is attractive.
It's been 34 years...
- 5/22/2023
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
Disney’s attempts to reinvent their animated classics as live action versions has proven to be largely a smart boxoffice play, but one with a mixed creative result. Certainly some were huge hits like Bill Condon’s Beauty And The Beast and Guy Ritchie’s less enchanting Aladdin. Others effectively created photo-real animals in The Lion King and The Jungle Book. Older Disney staples have gotten the treatment by focusing on the villains in Cruella and Maleficent and their sequels, even an unfortunate Disney + attempt on the untouchable (if you ask me) Lady And The Tramp. But even approaching an animated masterpiece, 1989’s The Little Mermaid and essentially trying to make a splashy (sorry) big screen live action musical that works above and under the water seems dicey on paper. So what do you do? Bring in Rob Marshall, and as it turns out that is all the new live action The Little Mermaid needed.
- 5/22/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Halle Bailey in The Little MermaidPhoto: Disney
Another day, another Disney remake. The Mouse House’s decade-long trend of realizing their animated canon in live action—or whatever The Lion King was—has been commented upon ad nauseum, criticized for their revisionism of stories that didn’t need revising and...
Another day, another Disney remake. The Mouse House’s decade-long trend of realizing their animated canon in live action—or whatever The Lion King was—has been commented upon ad nauseum, criticized for their revisionism of stories that didn’t need revising and...
- 5/22/2023
- by Leigh Monson
- avclub.com
Disney is reversing its decision to pull Howard, the documentary about lyricist Howard Ashman, from Disney+. The film explores Ashman’s achievements, including co-writing songs for the Disney animated classic The Little Mermaid. Ashman, a gay man who also wrote songs for Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, and Aladdin, is one of the most celebrated talents in music, whose contributions to film are as legendary as the projects he’s worked on. When word got out that Howard is part of the list of titles Disney plans to pull from its Disney+ platform, people began expressing their anger online.
After yesterday’s uproar about several titles being pulled from the streamer, including Willow, The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Mighty Ducks, and more, Disney says it’s removing Howard from the list of titles set to disappear at the end of the month. “The list of titles coming...
After yesterday’s uproar about several titles being pulled from the streamer, including Willow, The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Mighty Ducks, and more, Disney says it’s removing Howard from the list of titles set to disappear at the end of the month. “The list of titles coming...
- 5/19/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Update, 11:25 Am: Disney+’s documentary Howard will not be removed from the service.
“The list of titles coming off of Hulu and Disney+ next week is still being finalized,” a rep for the company said, indicating that there could be additional changes.
As revealed by Canal+ last week, Howard was on the list of titles Disney had sent to its international partners, informing them that they will be taken off the platform May 26. The authenticity of the list was confirmed by Deadline.
Since the titles were made public yesterday, Disney had received backlash over the pending removal of Howard — about famous lyricist Howard Ashman, a gay man, who co-wrote the songs for Disney’s Little Mermaid animated classic — and its timing, on the eve of the release of the live-action Little Mermaid movie and LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
Previous, 10:28 Am: Disney is taking some heat following news yesterday that...
“The list of titles coming off of Hulu and Disney+ next week is still being finalized,” a rep for the company said, indicating that there could be additional changes.
As revealed by Canal+ last week, Howard was on the list of titles Disney had sent to its international partners, informing them that they will be taken off the platform May 26. The authenticity of the list was confirmed by Deadline.
Since the titles were made public yesterday, Disney had received backlash over the pending removal of Howard — about famous lyricist Howard Ashman, a gay man, who co-wrote the songs for Disney’s Little Mermaid animated classic — and its timing, on the eve of the release of the live-action Little Mermaid movie and LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
Previous, 10:28 Am: Disney is taking some heat following news yesterday that...
- 5/19/2023
- by Denise Petski and Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Get ready to hug your physical DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K discs a little tighter, film fans – because while the age of streaming seemed to come with the promise of everything being available everywhere all at once, that has recently begun to give way to a less optimistic reality. After multiple HBO Max projects were dropped from that service – with no other home to view them on, and no physical release either – it now seems that Disney+ is following suit, with major series, documentaries and original movies set to be dropped from the service on 26 May. It is expected that this is being pursued as a cost-cutting measure, though the exact metrics and cost implications are unclear.
Among the projects leaving Disney+ one week today, according to Deadline, will be the likes of the recent Willow streaming series, sports drama sequel series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, the Turner & Hooch show,...
Among the projects leaving Disney+ one week today, according to Deadline, will be the likes of the recent Willow streaming series, sports drama sequel series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, the Turner & Hooch show,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
Updated with more titles being removed: Disney is starting to pull content from streaming, with dozens of series and specials slated to leave Disney+ and Hulu on May 26, Deadline has learned. The titles, which are being removed from Disney’s streaming services globally, include Disney+’s Willow, Big Shot, Turner & Hooch, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Just Beyond, Diary of a Future President, The Mysterious Benedict Society and The World According to Jeff Goldblum and Hulu’s Y: The Last Man, Dollface, The Hot Zone, Maggie, Pistol and Little Demon. A number of Freeform series also are slated to leave Hulu.
The list features largely short-lived series, specials and direct-to-streaming movies.
The move, which comes with a content impairment charge of $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, was announced during the recent Disney earnings call on May 10.
“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our Dtc services to align...
The list features largely short-lived series, specials and direct-to-streaming movies.
The move, which comes with a content impairment charge of $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, was announced during the recent Disney earnings call on May 10.
“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our Dtc services to align...
- 5/18/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Halle Bailey performed “Part of Your World” live during American Idol’s Disney Night on Sunday. Dressed in a shimmery blue gown with a watery Magic Kingdom’s castle behind her, Bailey channeled Ariel’s yearning to be human and the underwater magic of The Little Mermaid.
Her rendition serves as the lead single from the live action remake of the classic The Little Mermaid. The song finds mermaid Ariel dreaming about what it’s like to be a human. “What would I give if could live out of these waters?...
Her rendition serves as the lead single from the live action remake of the classic The Little Mermaid. The song finds mermaid Ariel dreaming about what it’s like to be a human. “What would I give if could live out of these waters?...
- 5/15/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
By this point, we’ve come to accept live-action remakes of Disney animated classics as part of our world. No matter your feelings about 2017’s Beauty and the Beast or 2019’s The Lion King — that they reimagine beloved stories for a new generation or that they are reheated cash grabs that diminish their better predecessors — there’s no denying their success. In fact, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are both among the top 20 highest-grossing movies of all time.
So it’s easy to see why fans are interested in the latest movie in the genre, The Little Mermaid. The 1989 adaptation of a story by Hans Christian Andersen from directors John Musker and Ron Clemens kicked off the Disney Renaissance, reversing a trend that included flops The Black Cauldron and Oliver and Company and starting a run of highly-respected and award-winning films, leading to 1991’s Beauty and the Beast,...
So it’s easy to see why fans are interested in the latest movie in the genre, The Little Mermaid. The 1989 adaptation of a story by Hans Christian Andersen from directors John Musker and Ron Clemens kicked off the Disney Renaissance, reversing a trend that included flops The Black Cauldron and Oliver and Company and starting a run of highly-respected and award-winning films, leading to 1991’s Beauty and the Beast,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
After the success of live-action adaptations of other Disney classics, including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Cinderella, The Little Mermaid is up next. Of course, this means more in-depth explorations of our favorite classic stories and fresh takes on them for today’s audience. The first version of The Little Mermaid came out in theaters in 1989, kicking off the Disney Renaissance.
After more than three decades have passed since the release of the original picture, obviously, some changes need to be made. One of these is the music that gave the film its iconic status. As it turns out, two songs from the original film will have updated lyrics. But this isn’t the first time Disney has made changes to their classic songs for remakes.
Two songs in ‘The Little Mermaid’ remake will have updated lyrics to teach consent and empower women Halle Bailey from ‘The Little Mermaid...
After more than three decades have passed since the release of the original picture, obviously, some changes need to be made. One of these is the music that gave the film its iconic status. As it turns out, two songs from the original film will have updated lyrics. But this isn’t the first time Disney has made changes to their classic songs for remakes.
Two songs in ‘The Little Mermaid’ remake will have updated lyrics to teach consent and empower women Halle Bailey from ‘The Little Mermaid...
- 4/29/2023
- by William Decker
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Halle Bailey has shared her new rendition of The Little Mermaid classic, “Part of Your World.”
The song is one of the most famous from the original animated Little Mermaid, with Ariel excitedly dreaming of life on land and trying to get a handle on some human vocabulary. Over a lush orchestral arrangement, Bailey delivers a mighty vocal performance that makes the new recording feel like a fitting tribute to the original, sung by Jodi Benson.
The soundtrack for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid will feature new recordings...
The song is one of the most famous from the original animated Little Mermaid, with Ariel excitedly dreaming of life on land and trying to get a handle on some human vocabulary. Over a lush orchestral arrangement, Bailey delivers a mighty vocal performance that makes the new recording feel like a fitting tribute to the original, sung by Jodi Benson.
The soundtrack for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid will feature new recordings...
- 4/26/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
You can now stream all of of Halle Bailey’s breathless new take on “The Little Mermaid” song “Part of Your World,” which Disney released Wednesday online.
Bailey stars as title character Ariel in the live-action remake, which hits theaters May 26. The soundtrack releases May 19.
The song, which is about Ariel’s desire to be part of the human world after seeing and falling in love with Prince Eric, was sung by Jodi Benson in the 1989 animated film. The dashing prince is played by Jonah Hauer-King in the live-action film. “Chicago” Oscar winner Rob Marshall directs.
Also Read:
‘The Little Mermaid': Melissa McCarthy Unveils First Look at Ursula
“Part of Your World” was written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken.
Disney also released a YouTube visualizer video, which does not contain any footage, but which you can watch above. The first look at Melissa McCarthy as the wicked...
Bailey stars as title character Ariel in the live-action remake, which hits theaters May 26. The soundtrack releases May 19.
The song, which is about Ariel’s desire to be part of the human world after seeing and falling in love with Prince Eric, was sung by Jodi Benson in the 1989 animated film. The dashing prince is played by Jonah Hauer-King in the live-action film. “Chicago” Oscar winner Rob Marshall directs.
Also Read:
‘The Little Mermaid': Melissa McCarthy Unveils First Look at Ursula
“Part of Your World” was written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken.
Disney also released a YouTube visualizer video, which does not contain any footage, but which you can watch above. The first look at Melissa McCarthy as the wicked...
- 4/26/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
The new featurette, “A World Reimagined,” from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which provides an exclusive look at the live-action reimagining of the studio’s animated musical classic, has just been released.
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. The film stars singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel; Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric; Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs...
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. The film stars singer and actress Halle Bailey as Ariel; Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric; Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs...
- 4/14/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
Disney’s two-minute The Little Mermaid featurette kicks off with the new Ariel, Halle Bailey, describing the original Little Mermaid as changing her world. “Like so many of us little girls, we all just wanted to be mermaids,” says Bailey, adding, “This Little Mermaid reflects what it means to want something greater for yourself.”
The video features new clips from the live-action adaptation along with interviews with director Rob Marshall, Melissa McCarthy (“Ursula”), Awkwafina (the voice of “Scuttle”), Alan Menken, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The film also features Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the voice of Sebastian, and Jacob Tremblay (Luca) voices Flounder. Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) is Queen Selina, Art Malik (Homeland) is Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) plays King Triton.
Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago) directed from a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee.
The video features new clips from the live-action adaptation along with interviews with director Rob Marshall, Melissa McCarthy (“Ursula”), Awkwafina (the voice of “Scuttle”), Alan Menken, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The film also features Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the voice of Sebastian, and Jacob Tremblay (Luca) voices Flounder. Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) is Queen Selina, Art Malik (Homeland) is Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) plays King Triton.
Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago) directed from a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee.
- 4/13/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The go-to artist for musicals in recent years is the writer/creator of the newest sensation, Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The esteemed songwriter has been behind such music for films like In the Heights, Moana, Encanto, and more. As Disney checks through their list of old animated classics to give live-action remakes, when it comes to updating or welcoming new additions to the soundtracks for these adaptations, Miranda is given carte blanche to create new tunes that update and honor the originals. According to Empire, Miranda is such a fan of the original 1989 animated film, The Little Mermaid, when given the task to write new music for the live-action adaptation, he would make sure not to drop the ball by appointing himself the “Head of the Don’t Fuck It Up Committee.” Miranda would tell Empire when he was offered the chance to be involved with the Rob Marshall re-imagining, “I said,...
- 4/13/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
When it comes to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s live-action reimagining of Ariel’s aquatic adventure.
Writing the new musical numbers – ‘For The First Time’, for Halle Bailey. “And I will weigh in when I think you’re fuckin’ it up!”
While Marshall wanted more songs to add to the original set of legendary Howard Ashman and Alan Menken compositions, Miranda – who collaborated with Menken on the new songs – was intent on keeping the magic of the animated film intact. “I said, ‘Happy to write new lyrics if they need them. And if they don’t, I won’t,’” he explains. “I do not want to shoehorn [in] a song that no-one wants to sit through, because they want to get to ‘Under The Sea’ already. I’m that person! ‘Get On With ‘Under The Sea’!’” And you thought Ursula was scary…
Read Empire’s full The Little Mermaid feature – talking to Rob Marshall,...
Writing the new musical numbers – ‘For The First Time’, for Halle Bailey. “And I will weigh in when I think you’re fuckin’ it up!”
While Marshall wanted more songs to add to the original set of legendary Howard Ashman and Alan Menken compositions, Miranda – who collaborated with Menken on the new songs – was intent on keeping the magic of the animated film intact. “I said, ‘Happy to write new lyrics if they need them. And if they don’t, I won’t,’” he explains. “I do not want to shoehorn [in] a song that no-one wants to sit through, because they want to get to ‘Under The Sea’ already. I’m that person! ‘Get On With ‘Under The Sea’!’” And you thought Ursula was scary…
Read Empire’s full The Little Mermaid feature – talking to Rob Marshall,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
Oscar-nominated actress, writer and producer Melissa McCarthy has been named as CinemaCon’s Cinema Vérité Award recipient for 2023.
The NATO convention’s awarding of the prize at its Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, taking place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas the night of April 27th, comes a little less than a month ahead of the release of Disney’s new live-action take on The Little Mermaid, from filmmaker Rob Marshall, which has McCarthy playing the sea witch, Ursula.
Others to be honored alongside the multi-hyphenate include Oppenheimer‘s Christopher Nolan & Emma Thomas, who will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award; the cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, which will accept the Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award; the Dune franchise’s Zendaya, who has been set for the Star of the Year Award; and the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts duo of Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback,...
The NATO convention’s awarding of the prize at its Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony, taking place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas the night of April 27th, comes a little less than a month ahead of the release of Disney’s new live-action take on The Little Mermaid, from filmmaker Rob Marshall, which has McCarthy playing the sea witch, Ursula.
Others to be honored alongside the multi-hyphenate include Oppenheimer‘s Christopher Nolan & Emma Thomas, who will receive the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award; the cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, which will accept the Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award; the Dune franchise’s Zendaya, who has been set for the Star of the Year Award; and the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts duo of Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
"The Little Mermaid" was a vital turning point for Disney because it sparked The Disney Renaissance, a period of creative and financial prosperity during the late 1980s and 1990s. The films made during this time became instant classics due to their vivid re-imaginations of classic fairy tale stories and Broadway-style songwriting that gave audiences deeper connections to the characters.
Hiring lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for "The Little Mermaid," who worked on the hit musical "Little Shop of Horrors," shifted the songwriting process for a Disney film. While songs were always in Disney movies, they were never such a prominent part of the story's organization. "The Little Mermaid" set the standard for future Disney films where artists create dynamic animations of the characters and their world to convey the music's mood and emotions.
In a 2006 interview, IGN asked the co-director of "The Little Mermaid" Ron Clements, "s there...
Hiring lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for "The Little Mermaid," who worked on the hit musical "Little Shop of Horrors," shifted the songwriting process for a Disney film. While songs were always in Disney movies, they were never such a prominent part of the story's organization. "The Little Mermaid" set the standard for future Disney films where artists create dynamic animations of the characters and their world to convey the music's mood and emotions.
In a 2006 interview, IGN asked the co-director of "The Little Mermaid" Ron Clements, "s there...
- 4/10/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
Every new live-action Disney remake comes with a few new songs complimenting the animated classic’s original score, to expand on the world of the beloved characters (and also to qualify for the Oscars Original Song category). But in next month’s “The Little Mermaid,” some of the tunes from the original 1989 animated movie will end up sounding quite different from how fans remember them.
Alan Menken, the composer of the film’s original score, revealed in a new interview with Vanity Fair that alterations were made to two songs from the original “The Little Mermaid” for the upcoming remake. Menken, who worked on the original film with the late lyricist Howard Ashman and teamed up with Lin-Manuel Miranda for the remake’s music, said the changes were made to modernize the messages portrayed in the classic numbers.
One of the songs that got altered is “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” the...
Alan Menken, the composer of the film’s original score, revealed in a new interview with Vanity Fair that alterations were made to two songs from the original “The Little Mermaid” for the upcoming remake. Menken, who worked on the original film with the late lyricist Howard Ashman and teamed up with Lin-Manuel Miranda for the remake’s music, said the changes were made to modernize the messages portrayed in the classic numbers.
One of the songs that got altered is “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” the...
- 4/6/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
The live-action The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King will have some of the songs updated to modern times.
Songs like “Kiss the Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” have had their lyrics modified to allow consent.
“There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” Menken told Vanity Fair in an interview.
Alan Menken, who along with Howard Ashman created the soundtrack of the original animated film, worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda to update the lyrics for the live-action adaptation.
In the scene where “Kiss the Girl” plays, Prince Eric is encouraged to kiss Ariel, who at this moment doesn’t have a voice anymore. “Poor Unfortunate Souls” also has a line that was revised where Ursula says, “The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber, they...
Songs like “Kiss the Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” have had their lyrics modified to allow consent.
“There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” Menken told Vanity Fair in an interview.
Alan Menken, who along with Howard Ashman created the soundtrack of the original animated film, worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda to update the lyrics for the live-action adaptation.
In the scene where “Kiss the Girl” plays, Prince Eric is encouraged to kiss Ariel, who at this moment doesn’t have a voice anymore. “Poor Unfortunate Souls” also has a line that was revised where Ursula says, “The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber, they...
- 4/5/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The full trailer for Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid dropped yesterday during the 95th Academy Awards, giving fans a taste of what’s to come. The original animated movie included some fantastic songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, which will be included in the live-action Little Mermaid, but there will also be a few new songs as well.
Alan Menken teamed up with Lin-Manual Miranda to pen a handful of new songs for The Little Mermaid, including For The First Time, which will play out while Ariel (Halle Bailey) experiences her new human appendages. “It’s about her experiences the moment she hits land,” The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall told Empire. “We needed to create a number that could almost work as a montage, so we could take her through that experience – coming onto the land, what it’s like to put on shoes,...
Alan Menken teamed up with Lin-Manual Miranda to pen a handful of new songs for The Little Mermaid, including For The First Time, which will play out while Ariel (Halle Bailey) experiences her new human appendages. “It’s about her experiences the moment she hits land,” The Little Mermaid director Rob Marshall told Empire. “We needed to create a number that could almost work as a montage, so we could take her through that experience – coming onto the land, what it’s like to put on shoes,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
According to Empire, Rob Marshall's "The Little Mermaid" -- a live-action/CGI remake of John Musker and Ron Clements' 1989 animated film of the same name -- will feature a brand new song called "For the First Time," to be sung by the titular mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) as she makes her first sojourn onto dry land after being transformed into a human. It was co-penned by Disney legend and award-winning songwriter Alan Menken, the Egot maestro who co-wrote the songs for the animated "Little Mermaid" movie with Howard Ashman, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Broadway superstar and songwriter behind the Disney-released animated films "Moana" and "Encanto."
Menken's return is a big deal. In 1990, he won two Academy Awards for "The Little Mermaid," taking home trophies for the film's score and for the song "Under the Sea" (for which Ashman was also awarded the Oscar). Menken and Ashman's ballad "Kiss the...
Menken's return is a big deal. In 1990, he won two Academy Awards for "The Little Mermaid," taking home trophies for the film's score and for the song "Under the Sea" (for which Ashman was also awarded the Oscar). Menken and Ashman's ballad "Kiss the...
- 3/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The trailer and poster for Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the live-action reimagining of the studio’s animated musical classic, are here! Two of the film’s stars, Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, debuted the trailer during ABC’s live broadcast of the 95th Annual Academy Awards®. The Little Mermaid, helmed by visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall, opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 26, 2023.
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...
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...
- 3/13/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
Disney’s two-minute trailer for the live-action The Little Mermaid debuted during the 2023 Oscars. The new Ariel and Ursula – Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy – took the stage and introduced the trailer, which was sort of bizarre given that it felt like part of the show rather than a commercial. Weird introduction aside, the trailer’s packed with clips reminiscent of the classic animated film and features Bailey singing “Part of Your World.”
The trailer arrived online following its Oscar debut, along with a new poster and photos.
Joining Bailey and McCarthy in the live-action reimagining are Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as the voice of Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay (Luca) voices Flounder. Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) is Queen Selina, Art Malik (Homeland) is Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner...
The trailer arrived online following its Oscar debut, along with a new poster and photos.
Joining Bailey and McCarthy in the live-action reimagining are Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as the voice of Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay (Luca) voices Flounder. Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) is Queen Selina, Art Malik (Homeland) is Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner...
- 3/13/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Disney just released its first full trailer for “The Little Mermaid,” and the footage has created a massive wave of reactions online.
“Stunning” and “amazing” were just some of the ways Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” was described after the film’s first full-length trailer dropped during the 95th Academy Awards Sunday. The movie stars Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley Jacob Tremblay, David Diggs, Lin-Manuel, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem and more.
As social media always does, it reacted with some responses praising the film, while others shared their criticisms of it.
Also Read:
First Full Trailer for Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Makes a Splash (Video)
“Y’all that ‘little mermaid’ trailer was everything! @HalleBailey looked absolutely stunning as Ariel and I can’t wait to watch!” one Twitter user wrote.
Some users weren’t too happy with it, saying Bailey’s film “deserved better.” And other...
“Stunning” and “amazing” were just some of the ways Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” was described after the film’s first full-length trailer dropped during the 95th Academy Awards Sunday. The movie stars Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley Jacob Tremblay, David Diggs, Lin-Manuel, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem and more.
As social media always does, it reacted with some responses praising the film, while others shared their criticisms of it.
Also Read:
First Full Trailer for Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Makes a Splash (Video)
“Y’all that ‘little mermaid’ trailer was everything! @HalleBailey looked absolutely stunning as Ariel and I can’t wait to watch!” one Twitter user wrote.
Some users weren’t too happy with it, saying Bailey’s film “deserved better.” And other...
- 3/13/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Disney used the 95th Academy Awards on ABC to give a promotional boost to “The Little Mermaid,” its upcoming live-action remake of the animated classic. Stars Melissa McCarthy and Halle Bailey took the stage at the Dolby Theater to introduce a new trailer for the movie, which comes out May 26.
The trailer features some iconic images from the animated film rendered in CG-aided live-action, like mermaid Ariel (Bailey) bursting through the surface of the sea and flinging her hair back and Ursula the Sea Witch (McCarthy) granting Ariel her wish to become human. The trailer is soundtracked by Bailey’s rendition of “Part of Your World.”
“The Little Mermaid’ tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid who wants to explore the world beyond the ocean. While visiting the surface, Ariel falls in love with the handsome Prince Eric. Mermaids are not allowed to interact with humans, but Ariel is...
The trailer features some iconic images from the animated film rendered in CG-aided live-action, like mermaid Ariel (Bailey) bursting through the surface of the sea and flinging her hair back and Ursula the Sea Witch (McCarthy) granting Ariel her wish to become human. The trailer is soundtracked by Bailey’s rendition of “Part of Your World.”
“The Little Mermaid’ tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid who wants to explore the world beyond the ocean. While visiting the surface, Ariel falls in love with the handsome Prince Eric. Mermaids are not allowed to interact with humans, but Ariel is...
- 3/13/2023
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Halle Bailey is becoming part of the A-list world.
The singer-actress leads the live-action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” with the first full-length trailer debuting during the 2023 Oscars. Bailey and co-star Melissa McCarthy introduced the film onstage.
Rob Marshall directs “The Little Mermaid,” with the official synopsis reading: “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.
Javier Bardem,...
The singer-actress leads the live-action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” with the first full-length trailer debuting during the 2023 Oscars. Bailey and co-star Melissa McCarthy introduced the film onstage.
Rob Marshall directs “The Little Mermaid,” with the official synopsis reading: “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.
Javier Bardem,...
- 3/13/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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