Live-Action The Little Mermaid

[CB Fan]

With Disney's Maleficent coming out this year and with new Live-Action versions of 'Cinderella', 'Cruella', and 'Beauty and the Beast' in the works its only a matter of time before they look into doing a live-action version of 'The Little Mermaid', but how should they go about it? I made this thread hoping to get responses from others on how Disney,or any studio,should go about making a live action version of TLM. How would they shoot underwater (talking) scenes and the kingdom of Atlantica? Should they go with the original story's darker route or should they (Disney) stay closer to their animated version? Who's point of view should the story be told from, Ursula or Ariel's? And of course who would you cast in the film?

 

[Quasimod0]

I wouldn't care to see the story from Ursala's point of view. Especially since they are doing that with Maleficent. Itd be interesting to see how they film this underwater or what sort of effects they use to make it appear to be. Could be a very visually appealing film.

 

[Silvermoth]

I suppose it would be much easier to recreate the effects of being underwater after 'gravity' was filmed.

I actually would like to see an Ursula origin movie. I reckon she's fabulous

 

[Loki882]

The budget for a movie like this would be huge, and the underwater scenes would be complicated to shoot and make look good. Also, making the Mermaids not look stupid/goofy would be a challenge. It would be interesting to see purely for seeing how they'd pull that off alone. As for Ursula, I'd like to see them dive into what she did BEFORE she met Ariel. She mentions doing all these "dubious" things in her "Poor Unfortunate Souls" song and it'd be cool to see what those things were.

 

[X Knight]

I'd rather they focus on Ariel than Ursula.

 

[Loki882]

Ursula's a more interesting character. Kind of like Maleficent is a more interesting character than Sleeping Beauty (who isn't much of a character at all).

 

[Drizzle]

Ursula's a more interesting character. Kind of like Maleficent is a more interesting character than Sleeping Beauty (who isn't much of a character at all).

With the exception of maybe "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin" and "Frozen", the villains in Disney movies are almost always the most interesting characters. At least when it comes to the traditional "fairy tale" Disney movies.

 

[DACrowe]

Depends who makes it. I know that Joe Wright wanted to make a live-action Little Mermaid based on the original fairy tale (not Disney), but I think he gave that up when he made Pan.

If Disney makes it they could make it from Ursula's point of view, but I imagine audiences for obvious reasons would rather follow Ariel's...tail. It would be in theory interesting, because the only time a movie actually made a mermaid look not completely campy with a live actor was in 2011's Pirates 4 (the only good thing about that movie).

So, the technology is finally there if you want to throw a budget at it. I imagine if Maleficent and Cinderella are successes, this will be next, if only because Beauty and the Beast has so many live action takes on it already. What else can they adapt into live action after Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella? The Lion King? I think not.

 

[CB Fan]

They don't have to center the Story around Ursula but they do need to show why she wants the throne and her past with King Triton. In the original I believe she and triton are siblings and he is granted the trident and she the sea shell necklace that has magic powers. They could flesh her out way more than she is in the animated film.

And I'm just gonna say Kathy Bates would kill as Ursula.

 

[Airwings]

It will be quite ironic if this is made before Aquaman. lol

But Little Mermaid with real actors could be HUUGE. Hope they go darker and don't make a Disneyfied version.

When will we get Aladdin or Ali Baba as live action?

 

[DACrowe]

The thing is that I think the Disney version is honestly vastly preferred, at least by Americans. A version where it is about her wanting to have a soul and meet God, but is then forced into a form of suicide is not going to see a lot of tickets. Just a hunch.

 

[Drizzle]

What else can they adapt into live action after Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella? The Lion King? I think not.

Well they are doing a live action Jungle Book, so anything's possible at this point. Then again, unlike The Jungle Book, there are no human characters in The Lion King.

 

[Ant-manic]

they could focus on how Ursula gained all of that weight/lost her figure.

 

[Quasimod0]

Depends who makes it. I know that Joe Wright wanted to make a live-action Little Mermaid based on the original fairy tale (not Disney), but I think he gave that up when he made Pan.

If Disney makes it they could make it from Ursula's point of view, but I imagine audiences for obvious reasons would rather follow Ariel's...tail. It would be in theory interesting, because the only time a movie actually made a mermaid look not completely campy with a live actor was in 2011's Pirates 4 (the only good thing about that movie).

So, the technology is finally there if you want to throw a budget at it. I imagine if Maleficent and Cinderella are successes, this will be next, if only because Beauty and the Beast has so many live action takes on it already. What else can they adapt into live action after Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella? The Lion King? I think not.

My body is ready for a live action lion king movie. With real lions.

 

[Silvermoth]

My body isn't. I couldn't possibly watch mufasa die again in live action

 

[CB Fan]

Would anybody be opposed to a live action musical or should they not sing in the film? The biggest challenge is creating the underwater effect, having the actors "Swimming" and talking and such. I suppose extensive wire work could be done. Should they include talking sea creatures like Sebastion, Scuttle, and Flounder?

 

[Raiden]

Would anybody be opposed to a live action musical or should they not sing in the film? The biggest challenge is creating the underwater effect, having the actors "Swimming" and talking and such. I suppose extensive wire work could be done. Should they include talking sea creatures like Sebastion, Scuttle, and Flounder?

After watching Gravity, I don't think they even need actors to be underwater in order to set the movie under the sea. I'm sure Cameron has the same idea since I heard the Avatar sequel will also be focused in a under-the-water world.

 

[dark_b]

i think they need to be in the water. how would you make the hair effects? hair doesnt move just in slow motion. its a very specific look how hair looks and moves underwater.

or if they make a stylized movie where the hair moves like in space.

 

[Spider-Ranger]

I think all the underwater scenes have to be all CGI, because IMO that's the best way to portray the underwater world and its dwellers. I'd want the sea people to almost look like real actors. On shore they would be played by real actors.

Of course it has to be very good and very advanced CGI. I'm not sure if Disney can pull this.

 

[Leenie]

If Disney does a live action Little Mermaid, I'd love for them to follow the original story ... But let's face it, that won't happen. Haha.

This is coming from someone who LOVES the Disney Little Mermaid. It's one of my all-time favorites. I just think I would love watching a live action version using both the animated movie and the original fairytale. I imagine it would be dark and gorgeous.

 

[DACrowe]

i think they need to be in the water. how would you make the hair effects? hair doesnt move just in slow motion. its a very specific look how hair looks and moves underwater.

or if they make a stylized movie where the hair moves like in space.

I think all the underwater scenes have to be all CGI, because IMO that's the best way to portray the underwater world and its dwellers. I'd want the sea people to almost look like real actors. On shore they would be played by real actors.

Of course it has to be very good and very advanced CGI. I'm not sure if Disney can pull this.

I imagine it will be something more like Gravity. If it's all CGI, why make it at all, as it's just animated again?

The hair effects will be difficult though, because do you CGI that or what? Part of the reason the 1989 movie is so beloved is honestly some of those hair movements captured ever so delicately in animation.

That also goes for the singing. "Under the Sea," "Part of Your World," etc. is also why that film is loved. I suppose they could just get Lana Del Rey to sing them.

Or not.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i was all for it until i read that they basically turned the greatest disney villain in to a scored anti hero. meh i dont want to think what they would do to the rest.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I can see the posters now

Melissa Mccarthy IS Ursula!

 

[DarkSovereignty]

Isn't there already a life action little mermaid in the works? An actual adaptation of huge book, I mean, Joe Wright is attached to direct.

 

[Primal Slayer]

This has been my dream forever now. But I think half the movie having to be underwater scares Disney away from making it. Would have to have a very talented director make it come to life and the budget would be a pretty little penny. Knowing Disney though they would probably get the actors do it for cheap.