Disney secure song-writing duo for live-action adaptation of THE LITTLE MERMAID

We’ve spoken before about Disney’s desire do a live-adaptation of their popular animate classic The Little Mermaid. It follows a trend of movies that they are re-making in live action based on success they have been having with the likes of Maleficent and now The Jungle book. It was a live-adaptation that was met with some skepticism, but something which Disney is wholly serious about and moving forward with.

To show that they are serious and want to give the film the best chance of succeeding, they are teaming up a new star broadway writer with a proven song-writer to ensure the musical sections of the film remain strong. Oh no.

I say that, not because the musical performance will be bad, but rather just because I am not a huge fan of music in films. The talent they are bringing on board are certainly talented though, so if you are a fan of Disney musicals it should be right up your alley.

Disney have brought together in Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken to work on the films music. Miranda, while fairly new to the film world, is responsible for the Broadway show Hamilton which recently won 11 Tony awards. Menken on the other hand worked on the original Disney classic and has put together music for a variety of other Disney production including Pocahontas, Aladdin, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast (both the 1991 animation classic and the live-action adaptation too). So, I guess it’s safe to say we know what to expect on the musical front – something quite epic.

This is obviously also not the only live-action retelling on the story, as Universal is also doing a retelling of their own starring Chloe Moretz. It’s a pular story at the moment and it will be interesting to see which one actually tells it best.

And if you don’t think the live-action stuff is a good idea, then you better be worried, as there is a host of them in production. Other movies Disney is making into live-action include the Bill Condon-directed Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson as Belle, to be released March 17, Cruella with Emma Stone set for the title role, Dumbo with director Tim Burton, Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson set to star and John Requa and Glenn Ficarra writing, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with director Lasse Hallstrom. Also being fast tracked is A Wrinkle in Time with Ava DuVernay directing.

That’s quite a list and should keep the studio busy for a long-time. I just hope they all do something quite different and are not too similar to the original animation stories they based on.

Last Updated: August 18, 2016