Disney’s latest live-action remake, The Little Mermaid, has held its premier and is set to hit theaters around the world soon. In the meantime, Disney has continued to release more clips for the upcoming film, specifically the recreated musical numbers.
The glorified covers are, indeed, good, but fans continue to criticize its visual differences to the original, specifically for characters like Flounder and Sebastian the Crab.
This situation is not new by any means, but why does Disney continue this dissatisfying trend? The soul of each Disney movie is found in its songs and music. We did not need a remake of The Lion King, but we would be remised not to have heard Beyonce and Childish Gambino sing “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.” We did not need an Aladdin remake, but Will Smith’s version of Genie’s song “Friend Like Me” is unforgettable.
The Little Mermaid is no exception. Halle Bailey‘s “Part of Your World” and Daveed Diggs’ “Under the Sea” are more than worthy tributes to the originals created by Alan Menken and the late great Howard Ashman.
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I say this as someone who grew up in the golden ages of Disney Channel that produced “Disney Mania” albums which featured Disney Channel stars and Disney-signed pop stars putting their own spin on classic songs. And the production of “live” renditions of The Litle Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast calls into question the need for theatrical remakes even further, especially when it is understood that those productsions shown on ABC and Disney+ do not alter the “canon” as it is understood. Disney’s live-action remakes disrupt the canon in ways not everyone is happy with.
Considering the financial success of the remakes in theaters, though, it is unlikely that any change will be made to the Company’s plans.
Walt Disney Studios has already given fans Animated Film remakes, which include Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson, Josh Gad, and Ewan McGregor, and most recently, David Lowery’s Peter Pan and Wendy.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s and may not reflect the sentiment of Disney Fanatic as a whole.
