While Disney is all set to release the best live-action movies in the next few years, ‘The Little Mermaid’ is also one of the highly-anticipated projects for the studio. The reason is that it is coming to the big screen following multiple delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The film has been on top of the headlines for being involved in a few controversies regarding its casting. Although the film has not been released until now, plans are being made for a sequel. But before that, the film is already trapped in another controversy including the royals.
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Netizens Criticize ‘The Little Mermaid’ For Taking A Jab At Kate Middleton
‘The Little Mermaid’ is being slammed by netizens for containing a dig at Kate Middleton. The reports come after a reviewer who attended a screening of the film and said that it features a dig at the Princess of Wales. According to the critic who spoke to Page Six, ‘The Little Mermaid’ has a lot of subtle comparisons between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry alongside the other two characters, Ariel and Prince Eric.
The critic revealed that the dig is visible in one of the scenes where Ariel sacrifices her voice to go to the surface and meet Prince Eric. He added: “She can’t speak so he tries to guess her name. His first guess is Diana. His second guess is Catherine, but after [Ariel gives a disgusted] reaction, he [concludes] ‘OK, definitely not Catherine.”
Markle had previously identified herself with the mermaid while speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 2021. She also revealed in ‘Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special‘ that she has watched the original film, released in 1989 when she was going through a tough phase following her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.
Twitter didn’t take this kindly and reacted with their opinions.
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‘The Little Mermaid’: Release Date, Cast, Plot, And More
Directed by Rob Marshall, ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a live-action remake of the original 1989 film. The film was confirmed to be in development in 2016 and Marshall was hired to helm the film the following year.
Although the makers aimed to begin production in April 2020, the plans were dropped because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Filming started in January 2021 and concluded in July of the same year.
The film is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023. It features Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy in the lead roles.
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