The reimagined live-action Disney classics have become a controversial topic around the internet. Bringing favorite fairy tales to live-action is a dream come true for many and a nightmare for others. Regardless, Disney’s remakes have become a guilty pleasure for many moviegoers, and sometimes have more room to develop their characters and create nuance in plot (due to modern screenwriters, longer runtimes, and more). Aladdin added more political intrigue, The Jungle Book brought innovative CGI and cameras to the industry, and Cruella updated its soundtrack and fashion. With all the praise and complaints these movies generate, audiences are wondering what Disney will add to its next live action film.

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The Little Mermaid is a beloved animated classic for its catchy music, bright animation, and strong heroine. The film is responsible for jump-starting Disney’s Golden Age of animation, their ’90s renaissance, and for good reason. Both children and adults love singing along and watching the larger than life villains and determined heroes of the sea. While The Little Mermaid remains a fan favorite, here are some ways the live-action film can update the old story.

Ariel and Eric

     Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Disney’s supporters and princess fans praise The Little Mermaid’s feminist ideals (though some dismiss it as sexist). Ariel marks the start of a new evolution in Disney princesses and a departure from the docile heroines in Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Ariel is headstrong and passionate. She stands up to the dominating leaders around her both male and female. Even though Ariel took Disney princesses in the right direction, her character can still be improved in the next movie.

Though the 1989 Ariel talks tough, she arguably does little to overcome her challenges on her own. Scuttle (a male bird) breaks Ursula’s spell and Eric (the prince) defeats Ursula. Ariel is successful in obtaining her dream of going to the surface and marrying Prince Eric, but why is marrying a man her only goal?

On the other hand, Eric is a handsome, charming, and strong prince, but he is often portrayed as lacking intelligence. When a woman shows up on the same shore he did, he writes her off a little too quickly. Even in The Little Mermaid II, Eric is portrayed as insensitive. He can protect his family, but he is not the brains of the operation; he is basically strength and money in a man’s uniform. While the characters were fine for a 1980s cartoon, the live-action Little Mermaid has a lot of room to improve and create more equality between its main characters.

Music in The Little Mermaid

Disney hits like Part of Your World and Under the Sea are perfect for family road trips and karaoke nights. But after years of the same playlist, the 33-year-old songs have started to get old. The simple production and lyrics struggles to maintain all of its aging audience. Disney already added depth to The Little Mermaid’s soundtrack when they wrote new songs for the stage musical. Along with the old classics, the stage musical’s new songs emphasize each character’s internal struggles.

The cast and crew has not said if the live-action film will include songs from the musical, but executives have said that Lin-Manuel Miranda signed on to this new project. Miranda made a name for himself writing Broadway hits like Hamilton and In the Heights. He brought clever lyrics and rhythm to Disney for Moana (2016) and Encanto (2021). If his other works are any indication, Disney fans can get excited about his participation in this upcoming project.

Little Mermaid Plot Holes

Disney’s fun lineup of fairy tale adventures can enchant even the skeptic. Audiences will put up with some stretches of the imagination to enjoy the larger story. It may not be realistic for mermaids to talk underwater, but creatives want to hear what they have to say anyway. While this especially works well in Disney cartoons from other decades and children’s films in general, the older audience of the live action film might have a more skeptical eye.

There are many plot holes in the 1989 cartoon that will be difficult to overlook in a live-action film. For example, when Ariel cannot speak, why doesn’t she write prince Eric a note to explain the situation? If Ariel could read and sign a contract, surely she can draft a basic essay. Speaking of contracts, Ursula’s contract is meant to be so airtight that not even Trident can break it. But if Ursula interfered with Ariel’s efforts, the contract should be void.

Other problems include — Flounder moving Eric’s statue alone; all creatures talking except for dogs and sharks; Ariel eating seafood for dinner (is that cannibalism?); Ariel is literally 16-years-old and marries someone three days after meeting him. Hopefully the writers of the live-action script have already ironed out some of these wrinkles in believability or taste.

New Disney Technology

     Disney

The color and beauty of The Little Mermaid is one of the attributes that keeps the film relevant, but as technology progresses so does cinematography and audience expectations. The sneak peek released at D23 this year already shows off a more vibrant coral reef, and the ocean looks more vibrant. Moving to live-action could bring in new elements of realism. The ocean creatures could become real deep sea animals rather than abstract blotches of color. Overall, the improvements of the special effects could make mermaids and their environment feel more real, enveloping the audience in an immersive experience.