Well, one thing is for certain, this ain't THE LITTLE MERMAID that I remember. In fact, this live-action trailer resembles very little from what I know of the Hans Christian Andersen tale of my youth, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
Yesterday, Conglomerate Media and Kingsway Productions released a live-action trailer for a forthcoming live-action version of THE LITTLE MERMAID. The film stars Shirley McLaine, Poppy Drayton, William Moseley, Loreto Peralta and Gina Gershon. In this strange, new take on the classic fairy tale (published in 1837 by C. A. Reitzel) a young girl (Peralta) and her older brother (Moseley), a reporter, travel to a small town in Mississippi where they discover a woman believed to be a real mermaid. The brother and sister pair then work together to free the mysterious creature, whose soul is being held captive by the circus owner that lords over every flick of her iridescent fins.
You can see the trailer for yourself right here:
Hmmm … this looks … interesting? Is it just me, or is anyone else getting a HOOK or THE PRINCESS BRIDE vibe in regard to Shirley MacLaine's character doling out the details of the little mermaid's tragic tale, years after it happens? I must say, I'm digging the 1800s setting of the film, and I'm always game for an alternative take on a classic. It sure is nothing like the ending of the original fairy tale, in which the mermaid throws herself off of a ship, her body dissolves, to which she is then transformed into a luminous and ethereal earthbound spirit. Tha'ts right, she becomes a daughter of the air, and will have to earn back her soul by doing deeds for mankind over a total of 300 years before ascending to the Kingdom of God. I know, it's some pretty heavy stuff, man. That Hans, I bet he was a real gas at parties back in the day.
While Disney is still plugging away at their planned live-action version of THE LITTLE MERMAID, you can expect this film to swim your way some time later this year.