17 of the largest variations between 'The Little Mermaid' remake and the animated film

The remake opens on a quote from Hans Christian Andersen.

The remake opens with a quote from the creator of the unique fairy story upon which Disney’s variations are based mostly.

“However a mermaid has no tears, and subsequently she suffers a lot extra.”

In the course of the film’s digital press convention, attended by Insider, director Rob Marshall defined why he selected to make use of the quote within the remake. 

“We had been instantly conscious of how this was a really up to date story already within the 1830s a couple of lady who feels displaced,” Marshall mentioned in response to a query from The Direct. “To have the ability to discover one thing from Hans Christian Anderson particularly so we form of floor this in the place it got here from was vital to search out one thing from him.”

Marshall added: “It is essentially the most form of well-known quote from the story. And I’ve to say as a result of I believe we had been bringing extra depth and emotion, which you’ll be able to in a live-action piece, that is what this style helps you do. The concept that as a result of a mermaid has no tears, and he or she feels extra, she suffers extra, it felt to us prefer it set the desk for this extra emotional telling of the story.”

Ariel is aged as much as 18 within the remake.

Within the animated movie, Ariel’s 16, one thing which made her fast marriage to Eric inside a couple of days of assembly him cringeworthy. 

Disney’s manufacturing notes for the live-action movie be aware that Ariel’s a “spirited 18-year-old.” 

The brand new movie would not comprise an enormous live performance quantity led by Sebastian.

The animated function kicked off with King Triton’s daughters performing to a crowd of merpeople to point out off Ariel’s vocal skills just for the occasion to return to a halt when it is found the younger mermaid skipped out on her royal obligation.

That is scrapped within the new film.

The remake would not comprise a big occasion hosted on the palace.

This time, Ariel ditches a somewhat boring gathering between her father and her sisters.

Within the 2023 movie, Ariel’s sisters have totally different names and are vaguely launched as representatives of the ocean as a substitute of a gaggle of laughing and gossiping sisters.

King Triton would not reside in an opulent, gold fortress.

The long-lasting fortress from the animated film would not exist within the 2023 film.

Triton’s throne room seems to be in the midst of the ocean, unprotected, within the remake.

In response to the manufacturing notes, the underwater kingdom was designed “with a deep, robust, jewel-tone-like colour palette impressed by actual corals and anemones,” together with outsized corals.

The design is meant to really feel actual as a substitute of artifical or futuristic, however it’s barely glimpsed on-screen.

Ariel’s mom was killed by people.

The remake glosses over this new revelation. 

The dying of King Triton’s spouse was a essential plot level additional explored in Disney’s straight-to-video 2008 prequel, “The Little Mermaid III: Ariel’s Starting.”

She died saving a younger mermaid and making an attempt to seize a trinket given to her by Triton.

Ursula is King Triton’s sister and Ariel’s aunt.

A plot line teased in a deleted scene from the unique, the remake introduces Ursula as King Triton’s exiled sister however by no means dives deeper into what dirty their relationship.

Although we all know Ursula was banished from the dominion years in the past, it is unclear what compelled her into exile.

The remake consists of three new songs.

Unique “The Little Mermaid” composer and lyricist Alan Menken returned for the remake and was joined by Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”).

Collectively, the 2 wrote three new songs together with a reprisal to “A part of Your World.”

Right here, Prince Eric will get his personal music, “Wild Uncharted Waters,” and Sebastian and Scuttle get their very own rap, “Scuttlebutt.”

One of the best addition is a brand new quantity for Ariel, “For the First Time,” sang cleverly in her head after shedding her voice.

Scuttle is a northern gannet as a substitute of a seagull.

As an alternative of the mermaid breaking the floor to point out off her treasure trove of human findings to her squawking good friend, Scuttle’s now a diving chook who meets Ariel underwater to take care of their friendship.

Within the remake, Ariel abides by her father by by no means going above water till curiosity will get the perfect of her when she notices fireworks coming from Eric’s ship.

Solely then does she break her father’s rule to get a glimpse of people and, subsequently, save the prince’s life.

Ariel would not signal a contract with Ursula. As an alternative, she forges a blood-binding one.

When Ariel agreed to provide her voice to Ursula in trade for legs, she sealed the take care of a signed contract.

This led to many Disney followers questioning why Ariel merely did not write messages to Eric to let her know of her ordeal. 

The 2023 remake rids of this potential plot gap.

As an alternative of signing any paperwork, Ariel rips off one in every of her scales and offers it to her aunt.

Ursula’s memorable “physique language” line is faraway from “Poor Unlucky Souls.”

There are a couple of minor lyrical tweaks to “Below the Sea” and “Kiss the Lady,” however the obvious omission is the removing of Ursula singing and gyrating to the memorable “physique language” line from “Poor Unlucky Souls.”

Within the animated function, Ursula sings the lyric when Ariel asks how she’s purported to attraction Eric into falling in love together with her with out her voice. 

The complete lyrics from the omitted line are: “You will have your seems to be, your fairly face. / And do not underestimate the significance of physique language, ha!”

Longtime Disney and “The Little Mermaid” composer Alan Menken instructed Self-importance Honest in March revisions had been made within the music “concerning strains that may make younger ladies by some means really feel that they should not communicate out of flip, though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel to surrender her voice.” 

Ursula makes a slight change to her take care of Ariel, with out the princess’ information.

Within the new film, Ursula refines her spell so Ariel cannot keep in mind she must kiss Eric in an effort to stay human and regain her voice.

At a floor stage, this looks like a foolish addition, however it’s a reasonably intelligent replace.

As an alternative of Ariel obsessing over getting a kiss from the article of her affection, she’s now inspired to get to know the person she saved and doubtlessly fall in love with him naturally.

Sebastian is not chased across the fortress by a chef.

As soon as on land, Sebastian has a complete subplot the place the fortress chef is making an attempt to cook dinner him.

This storyline’s ditched within the new movie. 

Now, Sebastian focuses his full consideration on making an attempt to get Ariel to interrupt the spell since she will’t recall she must kiss Eric.

Ariel tells Eric her title, not Sebastian.

Within the animated film, Sebastian whispers Ariel’s title to Eric throughout the music “Kiss the Lady.”

This time round, Ariel tells Eric her title by pointing to the constellation Aries after which guiding him from there.

Within the remake, Eric says that is a wonderful title, steps up from the animated movie wherein he says, “That is form of fairly.”

Ariel would not get her iconic blue, sparkly costume on the movie’s finish when staying human.

Halle Bailey’s live-action model of the princess would not get Ariel’s pink costume both.

Bailey is barely seen in a single blue costume all through many of the film till its very finish.

In response to the manufacturing notes, the colour is meant to mirror a “sea tone aqua blue.”

The costume seen on the finish options coral-colored flowers and sea and land motifs, representing a mixture between “the village world, the royal courtroom, and the ocean.”

Ariel and Eric do not obtain a lavish marriage ceremony.

The animated movie culminates with Ariel and Eric’s marriage ceremony aboard a ship because it sails off.

King Triton, Ariel’s sisters, and different merpeople break the ocean’s floor in a send-off.

The remake oddly skips over Ariel and Eric’s marriage ceremony and vaguely mentions the 2 wed off-screen.

The 2 get in a paddleboat and obtain the same goodbye from Triton.