Out of the sea, soon Ariel will be — part of our world. That’s right, it’s time for another Disney news roundup, and we can’t talk about the Mouse House as of late without mentioning The Little Mermaid. The upcoming live-action retelling of one of the most iconic fairytale classics is all fans have been dreaming about. While some of the first looks at the movie have been less than thrilling for fans, there’s redemption in the fact that fans have actually begun rooting for the sort of overwhelmed-looking Flounder, and those closest to the fairytale are singing the praises of the retelling.
In addition to the splash that Ariel and her friends will soon make into theaters, we’re also thrilled that another highly anticipated project has finally made its debut: The Muppets Mayhem! While the wait for The Little Mermaid still sits around two weeks, you can tune into the new Muppets project today. You know what that means; it’s time to grab your best Mickey-shaped snacks, your Disney blanket of choice, and your remote because we’re guiding you through today’s big Mouse House stories.
Muppets Mayhem is here — and it’s as kooky as we hoped for
The time is finally here to go on your next adventure with the Muppets in The Muppets Mayhem, streaming now on Disney Plus, and as age-old fans of the Muppets will tell you, now is always the right time for a grand adventure with some of the most iconic characters out there.
The synopsis for the series reads as follows:
“The Muppets Mayhem follows The Electric Mayhem Band on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of a driven young music executive Nora Singh, the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current day music scene as they try to finally record an album.”
We’re missing Kermit and Ms. Piggy, though, and to be honest — with several high-brow cameos, we anticipated seeing them at least make an appearance. The crew over at Comicbook.com asked The Electric Mayhem why we didn’t see two of our fan-favorite characters, and their responses were very on-brand. Animal yelled, “No Pig! No Pig,” as Dr. Teeth responded that they might have forgotten to ask her in the first place.
Janice and Floyd Pepper said that neither her schedule nor their budget would allow a star such as Ms. Piggy to grace their presence before laughing and responding with the simple fact that people these days and muppets alike are far too busy.
“Everybody was busy, so we just kind of did our own thing.”
Here’s hoping there’s a window of time soon for the Mayhem to reunite with some of our other Muppets favorites; we certainly would love to see it.
Early reviews for The Little Mermaid sing the film’s praises
Jodi Benson originally swam into our hearts as Ariel when The Little Mermaid hit theaters in 1989, and she’s held the mantle of the undersea princess for decades with grace, brilliance, and an iconic nod to Disney fairytale history. She set the standard for the character and is now handing the crown to Halle Bailey, the next Ariel, who has already done a stellar job of swimming into our hearts and standing out as a new princess in the Mouse House realm.
Benson, who saw the film at an early screening, sang Bailey’s praises to Entertainment Tonight — and we all know how important Ariel’s voice is.
“She’s brilliant. I did get to meet her a few times and chat with her, and just to tell her how proud I was of her. But I love that she has a purity of heart and a pure spirit. You can see that vulnerability and that childlike… and that bravery and courage coming through.”
Benson isn’t the first to speak on Bailey’s bravery, and we’re sure she won’t be the last. Taking on the mantle of a Disney princess is a huge deal for anyone, and Bailey has handled it with grace, poise, and a heart for the story she loved so much growing up. We can’t speak for her, but we imagine hearing such high praises from the person who once took on the character that you’ll soon be appearing as is a dream come true for the young actress; one that’s well deserved.
Melissa McCarthy is all of us — a true villain girl at heart
Melissa McCarthy is The Little Mermaid‘s Ursula, and while she’s hilarious, kind, and generous in her real life, she takes on the role of a villain with power and dedication. In a recent interview, she recently opened up about a desire she’s always had, and it helped fans gain some insight into who she is as a person, uncovering another layer of her that we love.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, McCarthy said that the Disney gal she’d call first for a night out with is someone you might not initially expect.
“Ursula is so damaged and such a juicy, dishy, conniving broad. I’ve always been, like, ‘That’s the gal I want to have a drink with.'”
Of course, if you’re anything like us, that might have been your mind’s exact direction. Look, I love a good fairytale as much as the rest of them; in fact, I like to think I channel my inner Elsa as often as possible. However, there’s something about an excellent evil character; someone like Ursula or Maleficent, that really speaks to my heart and the hearts of Disney fans everywhere. You want a best friend like Tianna or Belle in your circle, but you also need the right kind of villain, too.
McCarthy is breathing life into Ursula in the live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid. While many have shared strong opinions on her makeup look being far diminished from what we were hoping to see, it’s worth noting that she’s still one heck of an actress, and we’re looking forward to what she brings to the table…er, water table as Ursula.
The Little Mermaid swims into theaters on May 25th, and we’ll see you there with fins on!
