Disney’s live-action remake of the beloved 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid premiered on Monday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The new version stars Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King as Ariel and Prince Eric, while Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem play Ursula and King Triton.
Bailey’s casting as a black actress was controversial, with some traditionalists arguing that the role should have gone to a white actress who more closely resembled the original animated character. Others praised the decision as helping to bring greater diversity to the classic tale.
The film, which will be released in UAE cinemas on May 25, has been the subject of controversy since the casting of Bailey in July 2019. The first teaser trailer, featuring Bailey singing a verse from Part of Your World, a song from the original movie, reportedly received 1.5 million dislikes in two days on YouTube, while comments were disabled due to racist remarks.
The official trailer and character posters for the film have since been released, with reactions to the world premiere being largely positive despite the controversy. However, some have described the film as feeling “unnecessary.”