The Little Mermaid has finally hit theaters, and as one of Disney’s most anticipated movies in a long time, moviegoers and critics alike aren’t disappointed.
However, now that the Halle Bailey-starring film is available for the world to see, one question remains, is it staying true to the hit 1989 animated film of the same name, or is the ending based on the opening 1837 book? that started? all?
This question is particularly important because the ending of the book, written by Hans Christian Andersen, and the animated movie are completely different.
In the film from over thirty years earlier, the mermaid Ariel ends up becoming a human and finally gets her happily ever after with Prince Eric.
By contrast, the fairy tale book is a much darker affair, with the romance not quite there, as Eric doesn’t actually fall in love with Ariel, but is in fact in love with someone else.
So, to answer the question, the ending of the live action version of The Little Mermaid is very similar to the 1989 animated movie because Ariel ends up turning into a human.
However, the new movie isn’t completely faithful to everything from the animated film.
Fans noticed a slight change to Ariel’s outfit in the new movie compared to her animated counterpart, as the iconic mermaid bra was replaced with a bralette.
The animated movie saw other mermaids, like Ariel’s sisters, wear shell bras like the main character, though they, too, have an updated wardrobe in the new adaptation.
Costume designer Colleen Atwood, who worked on the film, discussed the change in Ariel’s outfit in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine.
She explained to the outlet, “I think we wanted to have a more fish-like quality to the girls. Having them all have seashells on their chests seemed like a weird way to go.”
Colleen went on to say that it’s hard to make shells “look right” when placed on the cast’s bodies, and the wardrobe department opted for a bralette instead.
Halle plays the titular mermaid in the film alongside Melissa McCarthy as the antagonist Ursula and Javier Bardem as the protagonist’s father, King Triton.
Jonah Hauer-King stars as Prince Eric, and the cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina, who voice Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle, respectively.
A synopsis for the live-action film teases: “Ariel longs to know more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, she falls in love with the handsome Prince Eric.
“While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the wicked sea witch, Ursula, which gives her the chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life and his father’s crown in jeopardy.”
