When a man loves a mermaid

Have you been feeling like a mermaid longing for more than just what’s under the sea? Us too. And we’re all in luck because, starting today, Disney’s live-action reimagining of the 1989 animated classic, The Little Mermaid, hits theaters across the country.

Reviews so far have been generally positive. The film currently has a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, with almost all critics agreeing on one thing – star Halle Bailey (not to be confused with Halle Berry) shines as Ariel. It’s Bailey’s first leading role in a film, though she’s no stranger to singing; she’s half of the five-time Grammy nominated R&B duo Chloe x Halle.

🧜🍿 So what’s different about the remake?… First off, the whole “live-action” thing. Unlike its cartoon predecessor, this version of The Little Mermaid consists of real-live actors and a whole lot of CGI (for nonhuman characters like Sebastian).

But don’t worry, all the songs from the classic film, like “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World,” are back. In fact, the mastermind behind those songs – composer Alan Menkin – returned to recompose the updated soundtrack.

• There are also a few new songs, too. The live-action film is longer (by 52 minutes), meaning the film team had room to add new tracks written by Menkin as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer of Hamilton and a Disney regular who’s written music for Moana, Encanto, and Mary Poppins Returns.

👀 Looking ahead… Get ready to see Halle Bailey on the big screen more often – The Little Mermaid won’t be her only leading role in a musical remake this year. The 23-year old is also starring in Oprah’s musical reimagining of The Color Purple, which opens in theaters this Christmas.