There has been a lot of buzz around the upcoming live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which is just one of a number of big family-friendly movies coming out this summer. Unfortunately a lot of the chatter has been racist backlash against Halle Bailey being cast as Ariel. Audiences will soon be able to draw their own conclusions about the portrayal – and that of the other actors, including Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Daveed Diggs putting his own mark on Sebastian – when the director Rob Marshall's film hits theaters on May 26. While we wait, let’s take a look at the reviews.
The latter two actors also faced some trolling – or at least their meme-worthy characters did – after movie posters were released showing the animated versions of Ariel’s crab and fish friends. Despite some apparent wariness from fans loyal to the 1989 movie, the first reactions to the remake were positive, with moviegoers lauding Halle Bailey, saying she proves herself, both with her singing voice and in the way she embodies the classic Disney character. In CinemaBlend’s review of The Little Mermaid, Corey Chichizola agrees, rating the movie 4 out of 5 stars and calling the actress a “bonafide superstar” in one of Disney’s best live-action adaptations. He continues:
