Channing Tatum Will Be The Mermaid In The 'Splash' Remake

Earlier this summer, producer Brian Grazer teased that a remake of “Splash” was in the works “but I can’t tell you the twist.”

“I’m actually going to do it from the point-of-view of…I can’t say anything about it. There’s a movie star that’s going to be involved, [but] I haven’t announced it,” was all he could say, but now the word is out, and it’s certainly unexpected, and kinda hilarious.

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Deadline reports that Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell will star in the redo of Ron Howard‘s movie, except that Tatum will take the role of the mermaid — or I guess now, merman — originated by Daryl Hannah, with Bell slotted into the Tom Hanks part. And that’s kinda fun. The idea was all Bell’s, who pitched it, and clearly it was a winner. Marja-Lewis Ryan has been tapped to write the script, but no director has been named just yet.

If you’re going to remake “Splash,” might as well have fun with it, and with at least two other live-action “The Little Mermaid” movies in development in Hollywood, this is a pretty cool way to set this project apart.