The star on Netflix’s teen drama Get Even, Jessica Alexander has been cast in an unknown role for the live-action retelling of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. As fans already know, Halle Bailey will play the lead in Ariel, a mermaid princess who wishes to live amongst the humans. Melissa McCarthy will play the villain in this retelling as Ursula, a half-woman, half-octopus who makes deals with unfortunate merfolk with the “promise” of making their dreams comes true. Javier Bardem will play Ariel’s father, King Triton, who rules Atlantica and wields the all-powerful trident that gives him control over the seas (think of the Greek Myth story about the god of the seas Poseidon).
The other cast members include Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.
The director behind hit musical movies like Chicago, Into the Woods, Nine, and Mary Poppins Returns, Rob Marshall, will direct the live-action with the script written by David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland).
The original composer for the 1989 animation, Alan Menken, will feature the original songs as well as new songs with lyrics by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda which is pretty cool, to say the least.