Here it is! Our first look at Disney Junior’s Ariel, the latest adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
Not too long ago, some stills from the series appeared online, but I thought the show had been scrapped. Boy, was I wrong… It’s coming to Disney Junior, Disney Junior on Demand, and Disney Now.
Based on the newly released teaser trailer, this show makes several interesting artistic choices. Some characters look familiar, while others look like they were recycled from other Disney Junior shows.
Sebastian’s horrific, ultra-realistic design from the 2023 film is gone. Instead, Disney Junior has decided, in this instance only, that his classic look is better. Of course. It makes sense.
But what of the rest of the cast? Flounder? King Triton? Ursula?
This show is exactly what you would expect from Disney these days. Flounder retains his ’89 appearance, but everyone is modernized to appeal to the mythical modern audience that clamors for diversity and inclusion.
Triton forgoes his masculine shirtless Zeus-like appearance in favor of a softer look that’s less God of the Seas and more weekend warrior dad-bod.
As we should have guessed, Ursula appears more upfront and center than Ariel’s dad in this new show. She’s not so much a manipulative sea witch in this one. Instead, she’s more of a slightly naughty sorceress who is also Ariel’s aunt. Oh, and she runs a magic camp.
Ariel’s design is the most odd. She doesn’t resemble the Renaissance, Hans Christian Andersen, or even the live-action adaptation’s mermaid. She looks like a Bratz doll. I guess Halle Bailey didn’t want to lend her likeness to this younger Ariel.
The Little Mermaid also has a diverse cast of friends, Lucia and Fernie. They all reside in the Caribbean sea kingdom of Atlantica.
Disney Junior’s Ariel “follows 8-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond.”
As expected, Ariel is designed to be toyetic. Her tail shimmers in different colors, so expect a load of color-changing and LED-lit toys shortly.
What did you think of the teaser trailer? Let us know below!
[Source: Disney Junior]
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