New The Little Mermaid teaser features terrifying Ursula laugh

Chris Tilly
Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid.

A new trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has dropped, and features first evidence of the film’s villain in the shape of Ursula’s laugh.

The animated adaptation of The Little Mermaid helped turn Disney’s fortunes when it was released in 1989, precipitating something of a renaissance for the company, and earning $235 million worldwide in the process.

So it’s no surprise that the film is following in the footsteps of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King by getting a live-action remake. Indeed, the only surprise is that it’s taken so long for it to happen.

This new iteration of the Hans Christian Andersen story hits screens this summer, but today, we got a new look at what’s in store.

The Little Mermaid trailer features Ursula’s laugh

Check out the new trailer for The Little Mermaid below:

That’s what the film looks like, with Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula making that cameo at the end. While this is the official synopsis…

The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

Rob Marshall directs from a script that he wrote with David Magee and John DeLuca, while the cast includes Halle Bailey, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King, Art Malik, Noma Dumezweni, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy.

Why Halle Bailey will be a “very modern” mermaid

While speaking about the forthcoming film to Entertainment Weekly, Rob Marshall said that while the story is old, it’s also a very modern tale, while he also explained how star Halle Bailey supports that modernity.

“No. 1 is her passion – that fire is very important,” says Marshall. “She feels displaced and it’s really an epic story of finding your true self. But also there needs to be a great deal of joy. It’s a strange combination of innocence and wisdom, and a great deal of soul and heart. She’s very modern in that way.”

The Little Mermaid is released on May 26, 2023, while we’ve got more news about forthcoming film releases here.

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About The Author

Chris Tilly is the TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Newspaper Journalism, and over the last 20 years, he's worked for the likes of Time Out, IGN, and Fandom. Chris loves Star Wars, Marvel, DC, sci-fi, and especially horror, while he knows maybe too much about Alan Partridge. You can email him here: chris.tilly@dexerto.com.