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The Little Mermaid (2023 film)

The Little Mermaid is a 2023 American live-action musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Little Mermaid is a 2023 American live-action musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is a remake of Disney’s 1989 animated film and stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, with a story about her deal with the sea witch Ursula so she can live on land and pursue Prince Eric.

Premise

The story follows Ariel, a mermaid princess who is fascinated by the human world. She makes a bargain with Ursula that allows her to walk on land, but the deal puts her life and her father’s kingdom at risk.

Production

The film was directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay by David Magee and produced by Marc Platt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John DeLuca, and Rob Marshall. It was developed as a live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated film.

Release

The Little Mermaid premiered in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023, and opened in U.S. theatres on May 26, 2023. Disney lists the film as a fantasy, kids, live-action, musical, and romance title.

Reception

Available source material says the film received mixed critical reviews and underperformed relative to its reported production budget, though it still grossed more than half a billion dollars worldwide.

Key facts

  • The film is a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1989 animated The Little Mermaid.
  • Halle Bailey plays Ariel, with Javier Bardem as King Triton and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
  • The film premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023.
  • It was released in the United States on May 26, 2023.
  • The film received mixed reviews and grossed about $569.6 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $240.2 million.
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Canadian context

The film was widely released in Canada through Disney’s North American theatrical rollout and was part of the major 2023 Disney release slate seen by Canadian audiences.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Little Mermaid (2023 film)?
It is a 2023 American live-action musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall and based on Disney’s animated The Little Mermaid.
Who plays Ariel?
Halle Bailey plays Ariel.
When was it released?
It was released in U.S. theatres on May 26, 2023.
Is it a remake?
Yes. It is a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1989 animated film, which itself drew on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale.
How did it perform at the box office?
It grossed about $569.6 million worldwide, according to the available source.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid_(2023_film)
    Supports: Director, cast, premiere date, U.S. release date, box office, budget, and broad plot details
  2. Disney — https://movies.disney.com/the-little-mermaid-2023
    Supports: Official synopsis, release date, genre, runtime, director, screenplay, producers, and rating
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_little_mermaid_2023
    Supports: Synopsis, MPAA rating, genre, theatrical release date, runtime, and box office figures