Right before the weekend hit, it was reported that Melissa McCarthy is the first big name to be attached to the cast of the upcoming Disney live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” And as with other projects of this size, once the casting reports begin to rain, it suddenly pours. So, today we have two more actors that are in talks to join the highly-anticipated film.
According to THR, actors Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina are in talks to co-star in the Disney remake of “The Little Mermaid.” If signed, Tremblay would tackle the voice role of Ariel’s buddy Flounder, while Awkwafina would lend her voice to the seagull character named Scuttle. The film, which is based on a true story (kidding), follows the story of Ariel, a mermaid that falls in love with a human prince and makes a deal with the evil Ursula (McCarthy) to become a human, but at a great cost.
Tremblay is probably best known for his award-winning role in the Oscar-winning film “Room.” He’s also starred in the surprise hit of last year, “Wonder,” and will next be seen in the Seth Rogen R-rated comedy film, “Good Boys.” Awkwafina is a comedian that has been on the verge of superstardom since last year’s breakout roles in “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Ocean’s 8.” Her acclaimed film “The Farewell” is set to hit theaters later this year and could position her for awards-season love.
As we’ve said previously, Disney has a lot of retooling in the works for “The Little Mermaid,” as the film is hugely popular and is likely their last remaining “classic” animated film that they haven’t developed into a live-action remake yet, but features a story that is not up to 2019 standards. The movie-going public is probably not going to respond well to a plot involving a teenage girl that sacrifices her own family and identity to fit the whims of the man that she’s hopelessly fallen for.
“The Little Mermaid” is directed by Rob Marshall, with music by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. There’s no release date set.
