Now that Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey as the titular character, has ended its theatrical run, the film is now available for you to own for your home entertainment viewing pleasure. That means you can watch your favorite moments again and again. Not only that, the bonus features dives deep into the making of this film, what it means to have Bailey play the iconic role that is beloved by so many, and invites you to sing-along to your favorite songs.
The Little Mermaid is visionary filmmaker Rob Marshall’s live-action reimagining of Disney’s beloved animated musical classic, the story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life — and her father’s crown — in jeopardy.
The reimagining honors the 1989 animated musical original, while introducing new contemporary themes. Bailey makes for a wonderful Ariel as she highlights the importance of representation and is a reflection for those who are just as curious about what’s out there as she is, has a great sense of adventure that is insatiable, and a tendency to explore the unknown. Though the additional story elements are an attempt to explore more of the world and the character dynamics, it ends up being unnecessary filler that makes the film slightly bloated. That said, the deepening of Ariel and Eric’s arcs, along with Marshall’s direction makes The Little Mermaid one of the better live-action remakes in recent memory.
However, if you are looking for a physical copy, then the 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD hits store shelves on September 19, 2023.
Here’s a full list of the bonus features that you will find on the digital verison:
Bonus Features*
- Sing Along Version – Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with on-screen lyrics.
- Hotter Under The Water – Discover how director Rob Marshall and his team brought the story of The Little Mermaid to life with this documentary in five chapters:
- A Tale Of The Bottomless Blue – Join Rob Marshall on the set of one of the most ambitious and challenging films he’s ever directed.
- I Know Something’s Starting Right Now – Join cast members Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King and more and learn how they were cast in the film and what it was like to bring director Rob Marshall’s vision to life.
- Down Where It’s Wetter — Dip your toes into the virtual ocean and learn about how the breathtaking underwater world was created with visual effects, imagination and a lot of talented artists.
- Explore That Shore Up Above — From Prince Eric’s castle to the beach, explore the above-the-sea locations and the elaborate production design behind them.
- Do What The Music Say — Discover how legendary composer Alan Menken teamed up with Lin-Manuel Miranda to write new songs to accompany the original classics
- Song Breakdowns
- Wild Unchartered Waters — Prince Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King, gets his own song, written by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Go behind the song, from the writing to the recording, to the filming on a practical ship.
- Under the Sea — Get a first-hand look at how professional dancers helped bring director Rob Marshall’s vision to life as they stood in for the various animated sea creatures that sing and dance in this showstopping number.
- Kiss The Girl — Float along and get a frog’s-eye view of the beautiful set built to film the live-action version of this classic song.
- Poor Unfortunate Souls — Join Melissa McCarthy (Ursula) as she takes us on the journey of making her character’s signature song.
- Featurettes
- The Scuttlebutt On Sidekicks — Dive in and meet Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle, who not only have their own song, “The Scuttlebutt,” but also fresh looks as they work hard to make sure Ariel and Eric kiss before Ursula’s deadline..
- Passing The Dinglehopper — Ariel met Ariel when Halle Bailey worked with Jodi Benson — the voice of Ariel in the original animated movie — who appears in a clever cameo in the live-action film..
- Bloopers — Laugh along with the cast as they have the time of their lives making The Little Mermaid.