How do y’all feel about the new little mermaid?

34 comments

  3. I wish Disney would stop banking on back when their movies were fresh and innovative to try and milk nostalgia dollars out of people and stop with all these live action remakes, but I am very much enjoying watching racist 30 year old white men pretend to be very, very concerned about the race of a mermaid in a kids movie.

  4. Don’t really care, the upside is representation but I’m through with Disney just recycling content for money

  5. I work with children and although where I live is increasingly diverse, there is absolutely not enough representation for the children of colour that I work with. It fills me with JOY knowing that after they have grown up watching white children on TV, listening to stories with predominantly white children in and most of their class mates/teachers being white, these children will now see a bit more representation that isn’t just token.

  6. Indifferent because now my daughter is in her teens it’s not really a film I would go to watch. What I’ve seen so far looks great though and I have no problem with the actress and wish her well.

  7. She has such unique and stunning facial features that it makes her look otherworldly. I think she was a fantastic choice to play a mythical being.

  8. I hated the original movie, so I don’t plan on seeing the new one. I don’t really care who plays a character in a movie that I don’t plan to see.

  11. I think it’ll be a cool remake to watch. I hope it does well with bringing back the nostalgia and isn’t overly cheesy :’) lol.

  12. I couldn’t care less although the racism makes me sad. But I wish they’d stick to the original Hans Christian Anderson story.

  13. I admit, I was really baffled when she was first cast. The same way I was baffled when a black woman was cast as Hermione in the Harry Potter stage show. Then I thought but hey these are fantasy worlds, I shouldn’t be baffled at all.

    I’d also like to point out that I’m a black woman who was obsessed with both the Little Mermaid and Harry Potter.

  14. I’m sure it will be fine. I prefer the old-old-school telling of it that ends tragically, but I’m sure this will be a decent modern adaptation with a happy ending. I don’t see why people are being weird racists about the casting. There’s no reason to think merfolk couldn’t have different skin tones.

  17. 95% of the time I am against Disney taking the fairytale and adopt that into their bubbly version. I happened to know the original story before watching the Disney version, I was confused as a kid when I saw the end, and I am not into the idea after I grow up. I think the original is teaching kids, especially girls, that it isn’t worth it to lose yourself and what is important to you only for one man, if you do so, there are consequences (e.g. death)
    I didn’t even know there is a new adaptation to the story, they should stop it for real. Some of their original stories are way better.

  18. My only thoughts are that most of these Disney remakes are either bad or soulless so I hope for the sake of the people these movies were made for (children) they enjoy it. Otherwise I dont spend much time thinking about it one way or another.

  19. I find it refreshing that we’ll be able to have a princess who can actually sing after we had that utterly bland and boring take on Belle with that excessive auto-tuning via Emma Watson. Seeing the little girl’s faces light up as they get a version of TLM that might reflect them is worth all the bitter tears I’m seeing now. Ariel is known for her red hair, her VOICE, her purple shells and her green fins.

  20. As long as her hair is red in the movie, I don’t care. She could be black, white, asian, etc. As long as her hair is red. That is Ariel’s trademark.

  21. I wish they would stop doing reboots, just make something original. Aside from that, it’s just a movie, I’m not emotional about it.

  22. Haven’t seen enough of it to decide. As far as looks as long as she has red hair I think she looks fine. I didn’t care for the way Halle sang the word “be” in the trailer, I felt it was over sung and distracted from the song/took me out of being immersed in what I was watching/listening. But given her R&B background and my general dislike for a good portion of modern R&B some of this is to be expected.

  23. I feel a bit betrayed that they are changing the already established image of Ariel, as she is represented in the animated version, coz I’m attached to it, that’s what I grew up with.

    I’d feel the same way if they casted a blonde instead of a brunette in Beauty and the Beast or a white woman as Jasmine.

    I also think that Disney could be more original and instead of reworking same old stories, introduce us to some of the millions of other legends, myths and fairytales from african, asian, or south american culture. Yes, Ariel can be black or white, whatever, but there are so many original charchers in these rich cultures that deserve to join the Disney princesses squad.

  25. I would like to see a more faithful production of Hans Christian Anderson’s story – but that won’t come from Disney. 😅

    As far as the remake – same as I feel about all remakes. I’ve seen this story, come up with something new or don’t bother.

  26. I like making racists mad, so that part’s cool. Mermaids are universal, every culture has some kind of mythical person/sea creature concept.

    I find the live-action remake thing annoying in general, though.

  27. I just hope she can act as well as sing. So many times people get chosen just for the vocals and they can’t act. Other than that, I have zero problem.

  28. I love seeing old white men upset about the much needed representation. I guess they forget that men played women on stage initially because women weren’t allowed to perform

  29. What woman really cares about that? If they’re on their adult stuff who cares what color she is? Grow up

  30. I’m excited. When the animated version came out in 1989, it was cool as a redhead to see another redhead (even a cartoon) on a screen. It’s cool that other kids–Black kids–are going to feel that same rush of “that’s me!”

  32. That shit was my JAM when I was a kid and I don’t care who they cast or if the movie turns out to be well done or not, I will be soaking up the nostalgia regardless

  33. I’m tired of the constant remakes but glad that a Black woman gets to make waves (haha) in such a prominent role. I just hope she has good supports in her life because I’m sure she’s inundated with racist harassment.

  34. I’m not particularly interested in Disney’s live-action remakes but it’s fun to watch how upset all the racists are over a fictional half-fish lady’s skin colour.

    However, I do think Ariel being Black will be huge deal to kids growing up in this generation and I am so happy that they get some much needed representation in the form of a beloved character.

    For anyone who’s crying about not having red hair representation or whatever you still have ’89 animated film it hasn’t gone anywhere.

    Also lmao at what people in this thread think “political correctness” means.

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