The 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid is set to be a hit, so could that mean a live-action sequel is on the way?
As of late, Disney has been re-imagining many of their most famous animated films and transferring them into the live-action world. From Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, to Aladdin, The Little Mermaid is the next classic to be given the live-action treatment. Audiences will no doubt be piling in to see the remake, which we encourage in our review of the film.
The original first came out in 1989, became a massive hit, and is now one of the most beloved animated films of all time. So naturally, the live-action remake has a lot to live up to.
However, those reading may know that the animated film had a direct-to-DVD sequel back in the early 2000s, so does that mean that there will also be a live-action Little Mermaid?
Is The Little Mermaid 2 happening?
As of writing, no live-action Little Mermaid sequel has been confirmed. However, it seems like director Rob Marshall is open to the idea.
In an interview with Total Film Marshall mentioned the possibility of more Little Mermaid stories, saying: “I know there have been the prequels and sequels to the animated film – like, the straight-to-video kind of things, you know? It’s a classic story that has a lot of characters and a lot of interesting stories. I do think it’s right for certain things. But you have to see how a movie plays, and how it does… I think there’s always opportunity to find stories within stories. That’s always a wonderful thing.”
These future stories will of course depend on the success of the live-action film – critical response so far has been mostly positive – but there is precedence set for live-action sequels. The 1996 film 101 Dalmatians saw a sequel in the form of 102 Dalmatians. There was also Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland from 2010, which was followed by 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass. Most notably, there’s plans for a sequel to 2019’s live-action The Lion King, which gives hope for The Little Mermaid, should it be as successful.
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What would The Little Mermaid 2 be about? Release details
So far, there is no confirmed plot for any potential live-action Little Mermaid 2. It could follow the ideas given by the direct-to-DVD sequels, or it could chart its own path.
While the sequels – that being 2000’s Return to the Sea and 2008’s prequel Ariel’s beginning – were received rather poorly, they could serve as a backdrop to the plot of a potential live-action sequel. Perhaps the film could even go a Cruella/Maleficent route, and explore the untold tale of Ursula, since in the live-action version she is Triton’s sister.
So, enough time has passed. #TheLittleMermaid needs a sequal,but not the Melody one, I think it should be it’s own thing. Starting with we see more of the sisters because wtf they only had like 7 minutes of screen time. But I think it should start with Ariel and Eric docking in a pic.twitter.com/6uBzvBq1Tt
— Evan (@MythicalBwast) May 30, 2023
If a sequel does happen, we should hope for the return of the main cast, that being Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Haur-King as Eric, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Jacob Tremblay as Flounder.
If a sequel movie were to be confirmed, we likely wouldn’t be able to watch it until at least 2025, as Disney has often taken multiple years to develop any sequels. So there’s plenty of time to wait and see what happens.
The Little Mermaid is in cinemas now. Check out more of our coverage below:
Review | Cast and characters | Soundtrack | Ending explained | When is The Little Mermaid remake on Disney Plus?