The Little Mermaid is finally coming to the big screen, and powerhouse-voiced, youthful Halle Bailey is reviving our favorite mermaid in Disney’s upcoming live-action film.
The under-the-sea fantasy’s trailer dropped during the 95th Academy Awards after the leading lady and costar Melissa McCarthy—who plays the sea witch, Ursula—took the stage to present the teaser. And it didn’t disappoint!
The trailer begins with the infamous scene when Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) almost drowns after his ship takes a huge hit from the punitive ocean. But the young mermaid swiftly rescues him when he’s still unconscious, bringing him back to shore safely.
The main premise of the original 1989 Disney animation then unfolds throughout the trailer, as Ariel seeks Ursula’s manipulative help in turning her into a human. This is where we see McCarthy’s sea witch, and she looks just as glamorously intimidating as fans were hoping. Next, we get a glimpse at Ariel’s overprotective father, King Triton (Javier Bardem), who scolds her for exploring the world above.
While the teenage mermaid may be the wide-eyed, curious, sweetheart everyone knows and loves, fans know that she is also feisty, and will stop at nothing to accomplish something.
Ariel is, of course, famous for her iconic, charming singing voice, and Bailey—as the singer she is—naturally owns the character’s beautiful tone. The teaser ends with her closing out the story’s popular theme song, “Part of Your World,” showing off her incredible singing chops in the process.