Disney Made Big Mistake With Halle Bailey's Ariel, and the Little Mermaid's VOD Release Proves It
'Rob Marshall deliberately dodged greatness'.
The recent digital release of Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid has brought a treasure trove of bonus features and behind-the-scenes footage. This includes some early designs for the beloved mermaid princess, Ariel, portrayed by the talented Halle Bailey.
As fans delved into the new footage, they couldn't help but notice an intriguing detail, which has led many to believe that Disney made a major mistake in changing Ariel's design. Now fans are debating if keeping this feature could have significantly impacted the movie's overall reception.
Ariel's original hair would have looked a lot closer to the animated movie
The new footage showcases an early interpretation of Halle Bailey's underwater CGI hair, and it bears a striking resemblance to the flowing red locks of Disney's original animated classic. Ariel's hair is shown with a redder tinge, which aligns more with the original character we've known and adored. In contrast, the final version opted for a slightly different look and a darker color, which left some fans yearning for more faithful rendition that could have truly brought the animated character to life.
What the fans think
Upon seeing the early hair concepts, many fans couldn't hide their excitement, but also their disappointment that the design didn't make it into the final cut. Clearly, this minor adjustment struck a chord with the fans, and some even went as far as to suggest that sticking to Ariel's original look might have positively impacted the movie's box office performance. One user passionately stated, 'This simple hair adjustment would've gotten the film to a billion dollars.'
Some fans loved Ariel as she ended up nevertheless
However, not all fans were adamant about sticking to the original concept. As another Twitter user highlighted, the final result still retained some of the beloved side part and similar hair color, reassuring fans that the essence of Ariel was preserved.
Despite the hair debate, the live-action adaptation did achieve a commendable commercial success, amassing over $500 million at the global box office. While it might not have reached the staggering heights of some other Disney live-action remakes, it proved that Ariel's hair was likely not the sole deciding factor in the movie's performance, as some may think.
Disney's The Little Mermaid has always been a beloved classic, and the choice to cast Halle Bailey as Ariel certainly brought an element of additional excitement and curiosity among fans. The recently revealed behind-the-scenes footage and concept have now only added to the film's allure. Yet while fans remain divided on whether the original hair design should have been kept, there's no denying that The Little Mermaid will remain a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and enchantment that will undoubtedly continue to capture the hearts of future generations all the same.