The Little Mermaid is set to make a splash in theaters when it premieres next week. However, not everyone appears to be excited for the film, with Aladdin star Mena Massoud leaving Twitter following backlash from a critical tweet.
The Little Mermaid remake is set to take fans back under the sea to experience the magic of Ariel’s journey all over again. While many fans are excited for Halle Bailey’s take on the character, championing the role for its importance in representation, others aren’t as keen about another live-action remake of a classic Disney film. These critics include Mena Massoud, the star of the live-action Aladdin remake from 2019. In a now deleted tweet, Massoud throws shade at The Little Mermaid by pointing out his film’s lack of a sequel despite its’ billion-dollar achievement:
“Our film was unique in that audiences went to watch it multiple times.” Massoud tweeted. “It’s the only way we reached the billion-dollar mark with our opening. My guess is [‘The Little Mermaid’] doesn’t cross the billion mark but will undoubtedly get a sequel.”
Mena Massoud was immediately met with backlash from both fans and critics of The Little Mermaid. A flurry of tweets pointed out how Massoud hasn’t found much in the way of blockbuster work since Aladdin, only landing leading roles in smaller projects. Even those who hate the concept of Disney’s live-action remakes pointed out the hypocrisy of Massoud to criticize Halle Bailey’s film despite doing the same thing himself. This large outcry led to Massoud leaving Twitter.
What to expect from Disney’s The Little Mermaid remake
The Little Mermaid is one of Disney’s most beloved movies and fans have been eagerly anticipating news of the live-action remake. The use of photo-realistic realistic CGI in the movie has been a topic of discussion among fans. Some have expressed concern that the upcoming movie will lack the magic and charm of the original animated version. However, the use of CGI has allowed Disney to create stunningly realistic depictions of the movie’s characters, bringing them to life in a way that would not have been possible with traditional animation.
Regardless of where fans fall on the live-action remake debate, there is no denying that The Little Mermaid is about to be one of the biggest movies of 2023. The upcoming live-action adaptation features new songs composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken, in addition to the classic tunes that the latter wrote for the original animated version. Miranda not only serves as a songwriter but also an executive producer, along with Rob Marshall, Marc Platt and John DeLuca.
Directed by Marshall and written by David Magee, Disney’s The Little Mermaid stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder. Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs voice the characters of Scuttle and Sebastian the Crab, respectively, with Javier Bardem on board as King Triton.
The Little Mermaid arrives in theaters on May 26, 2023. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding Disney’s upcoming features and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
