'The Little Mermaid' To Make A Splash On Disney+ Next Month

Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid” swam into theaters in May, but soon it will be making a splash in the comfort of fans’ own homes as it will stream on Disney+ next month.

The film stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.

Despite backlash surrounding Halle Bailey being cast as Ariel, the Disney film topped the box office by bringing in over $95 million opening weekend. The film went on to bring in $117.5 million in its first four days in theaters in the United States.

Soon, fans of Ariel will be able to stream the new live-action film as Disney just released the streaming date for “The Little Mermaid”.

The company took to Twitter to announce the news, writing, “Disney's #TheLittleMermaid is making a splash at home! 🌊 Stream it September 6 on @DisneyPlus!”

In addition to “The Little Mermaid” coming to Disney+, Disney Branded Television also recently announced that they have a new animated series in the works featuring Ariel, who will be inspired by Halle Bailey’s Ariel in the new live-action film.

“Disney Junior’s Ariel inspired by Halle Bailey‘s Ariel” is geared towards preschoolers and will be based on the classic story of “The Little Mermaid”. The show will follow an 8-year-old Ariel as she goes on new adventures in Atlantica and beyond.

Fans can expect to see familiar faces as King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian and Flounder have all been confirmed to make appearances. New characters will also make their debut as Disney confirmed Ariel’s two new best friends, merchildren named Lucia and Fernie, will be involved.

Billboard reports, “‘Disney Junior’s Ariel’ will also highlight the multicultural diversity of the Caribbean under cultural consultant Dr. Patrice Saunders, professor of English and hemispheric Caribbean studies at the University of Miami. Chair of Berklee College of Music’s ensemble department Sean Skeete will serve as the series’ Caribbean music consultant.”

Prior to the film’s official release, Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel, spoke out on Disney’s decision to remake the 1989 Disney animated classic into a live-action film, which she said she was thrilled by.

“I’ve been part of the Disney family for so long; I completely trust our company. I do,” she told the magazine. “I had no hesitation that it was going to be breathtaking. And as soon as I heard Rob Marshall would be steering the ship, I knew we were in great hands.”

Regarding Halle Bailey taking on the new role, Benson could not be more proud of the 23-year-old. “Halle [Bailey] ‘s interpretation of Ariel is wonderful,” Benson said after she saw the movie. “I loved everything that she did with the film. I love the acting, the singing, and just the pure spirit. Her beautiful love for the character comes through. It’s just a beautiful, beautiful performance.”

She continued, “The casting has been done perfectly with all the characters. You just have to get to the heart of the character — that’s the most important thing.”