The Little Mermaid Ending Explained, Plot, Cast, Where to Watch
by Naveenkumar
Updated Jul 29, 2023
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" is a 2023 American musical romantic fantasy film helmed by director Rob Marshall and penned by David Magee. Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions, it serves as a live-action adaptation of Disney's beloved 1989 animated film of the same name, which was itself loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale from 1837. The movie stars Halle Bailey in the enchanting titular role, alongside a talented cast including Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy.
"The Little Mermaid" follows the captivating journey of Ariel, a mermaid princess who becomes enamored with the human world. In a fateful decision, she strikes a perilous deal with the cunning sea witch Ursula to trade her melodious voice for a chance to walk on human legs, all in hopes of impressing Prince Eric, whose life she saved during a shipwreck. With time running out, Ariel must navigate the treacherous waters of love and sacrifice to find her true destiny.
The idea of remaking the cherished 1989 classic was confirmed in May 2016, and Disney officially announced Rob Marshall's involvement in directing the film in December 2017. Over the course of 2019, Bailey, Hauer-King, McCarthy, Bardem, Diggs, Tremblay, Awkwafina, and the rest of the cast joined the project, solidifying the talented ensemble.
Production was set to begin in London in early 2020, but it faced delays due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Filming eventually commenced in January 2021, predominantly at Pinewood Studios in England and on the scenic island of Sardinia, Italy. The film's musical score was crafted by the iconic Alan Menken, who had previously worked on the original animated film's soundtrack. Alongside Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda served as a producer and contributed to the film's new songs.
"The Little Mermaid" premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023, and subsequently hit theaters in the United States on May 26 of the same year. The film received a mix of reviews from critics, with praise directed toward the exceptional performances by the cast and the captivating musical sequences.
However, some critics expressed reservations about the visual effects and character designs. Nonetheless, "The Little Mermaid" proved to be a commercial success, grossing $561 million worldwide against a production budget of $250 million.
As of 2023, it ranks as the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year. Among Disney's extensive list of live-action remakes, "The Little Mermaid" stands as the second-most-expensive and the seventh-highest-grossing readaptation to date, solidifying its place in Disney's legacy of reimagined classics.
The Little Mermaid Ending Explained
After learning from Scuttle that Vanessa is, in reality, Ursula in disguise, Ariel rushes to interrupt Eric and Vanessa's engagement party. With Scuttle's assistance, she confronts Vanessa and manages to retrieve the necklace containing her voice. Ariel smashes the necklace, regaining her voice, and Eric finally recognizes her as the girl he has been searching for.
Eric and Ariel are on the verge of kissing, but as the sun sets, Ariel's deal with Ursula expires, causing her to transform back into a mermaid in front of everyone. Consequently, she becomes the property of the sea witch, who reverts to her true form and drags Ariel beneath the sea with her.
Under the sea, Flounder informs King Triton about the situation, prompting him to rush to Ariel's rescue. Triton agrees to hand over his trident to Ursula in exchange for his daughter's freedom. Ursula seizes the trident, attacks Triton, and proclaims herself the Queen of the Seven Seas. However, Eric also arrives and attempts to stop her.
In a climactic showdown, Ursula tries to kill Eric, but Ariel intervenes and inadvertently causes Ursula to accidentally kill her eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, using the trident. Fueled by rage, Ursula uses the trident to transform into a massive and monstrous version of herself.
Ariel urges Eric to save himself as Ursula pursues them, but he refuses to leave her side. During Ursula's villainous rampage, she conjures a whirlpool, bringing shipwrecks to the surface. Eric and Ariel manage to pull themselves onto a wrecked ship to escape. Just as Ursula is about to eliminate Eric, Ariel seizes control of another wrecked ship, not Eric as seen in the 1990 version, and defeats Ursula by impaling her with its bowsprit.
With Ursula defeated, everyone is safe, and Triton is restored to his original form. He reunites with Ariel, and they reconcile. Although Ariel still dreams of a life outside the sea, Triton ultimately transforms her into a human. She reunites with Eric, and they share a heartfelt kiss. Ariel and Eric marry soon after, setting off on a new adventure together at sea. Triton bids farewell to Ariel, accompanied by her sisters, other mermaids and mermen, and the humans on the shore.
In the end, they all live happily ever after, with Ariel finally achieving her desire for a life beyond the sea.
The Little Mermaid Cast
Halle Bailey
Ariel
Jonah Hauer-King
Eric
Melissa McCarthy
Ursula
Jessica Alexander
Vanessa
Javier Bardem
King Triton
Noma Dumezweni
Queen Selina
Art Malik
Sir Grimsby
Daveed Diggs
Sebastian
Jacob Tremblay
Flounder
Awkwafina
Scuttle
Actor
Character
The Little Mermaid Plot
"The Little Mermaid" is a captivating tale of Ariel, a young and adventurous mermaid princess who yearns to explore the human world, which she has only heard about from afar. However, her father, King Triton, forbids merfolk from venturing to the surface after a tragic incident involving humans. Despite this, Ariel's curiosity persists, and with the help of her loyal friends Flounder and Scuttle, she collects human artifacts.
One day, Ariel witnesses a majestic display of fireworks from a nearby ship and becomes infatuated with the human prince, Eric, aboard it. When a storm causes the ship to wreck, Ariel courageously rescues Eric and saves his life by using her siren voice to sing him ashore. As fate would have it, Ariel has to flee before Eric regains consciousness.
News of Ariel's encounter with a human reaches King Triton, and he is angered by her disobedience. However, he soon discovers Ariel's act of bravery and becomes concerned for her safety. Meanwhile, Ariel is enticed by Ursula, a sea witch and Triton's estranged sister, who offers to transform her into a human for three days. The deal requires Ariel to receive a true love kiss from Eric to remain human permanently. Otherwise, she'll turn back into a mermaid, and Ursula will claim her.
Ariel agrees to the deal and becomes human with the help of her friends. She finds herself in Eric's kingdom and gets the chance to spend time with him. As their bond grows, Sebastian realizes that Ursula has cast a spell causing Ariel to forget the need for a true love's kiss. He, along with Scuttle and Flounder, tries to facilitate the kiss, but Ursula, in disguise as a woman named Vanessa, foils their efforts.
At a critical moment, Ariel regains her voice, breaks the spell on Eric, and exposes Ursula's true identity. However, before she and Eric can kiss, the sun sets, and Ariel transforms back into a mermaid. Ursula takes advantage of the situation, snatches Ariel, and battles Triton for his trident. Triton sacrifices himself for Ariel, and Ursula gains control of the seas.
With the help of her friends, Ariel confronts Ursula, who becomes monstrous in size and conjures a storm to destroy Ariel and Eric. In a brave move, Eric manages to save the day, and Ariel steers a ship to defeat Ursula.
In the end, Ariel and Eric's love triumphs, Triton is restored to life, and he realizes that Ariel's happiness lies with Eric. He transforms Ariel into a human permanently, and the couple embarks on a journey together, receiving the blessing and support of both their worlds.
"The Little Mermaid" is a timeless story of love, sacrifice, and the courage to pursue one's dreams, reminding us of the power of true love and the strength to overcome obstacles for the sake of those we care about.
The Little Mermaid Where to Watch?
Those eager to dive into the enchanting world of Ariel and her companions need not wait for the streaming release. The movie will be available for digital purchase starting from July 25 on popular platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Vudu. For those who prefer having a tangible copy, The Little Mermaid will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on Sept. 19. Keep an eye out for rental options as well.
While streaming releases offer the convenience of watching the film at your own pace, devoted fans may find it rewarding to add The Little Mermaid to their digital or physical film collection. Alongside the purchase, you'll gain access to exclusive bonus features, including a sing-along version of the film, breakdowns of the iconic songs, delightful bloopers, and fascinating behind-the-scenes featurettes.
The Little Mermaid Ending Explained, The Little Mermaid Plot, Cast, Where to Watch.-FAQs
"The Little Mermaid" was released on May 26, 2023. The main cast includes Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Awkwafina as Scuttle.
Yes, "The Little Mermaid" is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1989 animated film of the same name, which was based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.
Starting from July 25, 2023, "The Little Mermaid" will be available for digital purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Vudu. Physical copies on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD will be released on Sept. 19.
Alongside the film, purchasing "The Little Mermaid" grants access to exclusive bonus features, such as a sing-along version of the film, song breakdowns, bloopers, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
"The Little Mermaid" received mixed reviews from critics. While praised for its performances and musical sequences, some critics had reservations about the visual effects and character designs. However, the film was a commercial success, grossing $561 million worldwide as of 2023.