Things are starting to heat up forDisney’s the Little Mermaidlive-action remake, as both Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina are being eyed to join the cast in a couple of key roles. Should things move forward as planned, Tremblay will star as Ariel’s fish buddy Flounder, with Awkwafina set to portray Scuttle the seagull. This is a project we’ve been hearing about for a long time but it appears that things are finally moving, somewhat rapidly, in the right direction.
According to a new report, both Jacob Tremblay andAwkwafinaare in talks with the studio currently forThe Little Mermaid. The deals haven’t closed just yet but it sounds very much like things are heading that way. Should the deals make, they’ll join a cast that very well may include Melissa McCarthy, who is also being eyed for a key role in the remake as the villain Ursula.Pop star Lizzogot wind of the news and she’s been actively campaigning for the role on Twitter. Granted, that may not have any real effect on the outcome.
Jacob Tremblay, despite being just 12-years-old, has been making big waves in Hollywood over the last few years. His breakout role came in the Oscar-winnerRoom, which he starred in alongside Brie Larson. Tremblay has since starred in movies such asWonderandThe Predator. He’s set to appear in the R-rated comedyGood Boysnext month. Awkwafina has similarly been on the rise. She appeared in bothCrazy Rich AsiansandOcean’s 8last year. 2019 is shaping up quite nicely for her as well, as she’s set to appear inJumanji: The Next Level, as well asThe Farwell, which has been getting some very solid buzz ahead of its debut.
Rob Marshall, who most recently helmedMary Poppins Returns, is set to direct the reimagining of the 1989 animated classic. Lin-Manuel Miranda is also set to help compose new music for the movie alongside original composer Alan Menkin. The big question right now is, who will play Ariel? It was reported last August thatSpider-Man: Far From Homestar Zendaya was possibly being eyed for the lead role. There hasn’t been any further confirmation on that front. However, the actress did recently dye her hair red, which was a major topic of debate online, giver her status as M.J. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Disneyhas had a tremendous amount of luck with their live-action remakes over the last handful of years. Movies likeAlice In Wonderland,The Jungle BookandBeauty and the Beasthave all gone on to become huge hits at the box office. Most recently,Aladdindefied expectations to become a monster hit, closing in on $900 million globally. Next up isThe Lion King, which comes from director Jon Favreau and arrives later this month.The Little Mermaiddoes not yet have a release date set. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. This news comes to us viaThe Hollywood Reporter.
