Harry Styles won’t be taking on the role of Prince Eric inDisney’s the Little Mermaidremake. Back in July it had been reported that Styles was in negotiations to join the cast, but he has since turned down the part. When the initial reports began to circulate, many Disney fans believed Styles was a good fit for the upcoming remake, which will more than likely end up being another cash cow for the studio like the recently releasedAladdinandLion Kingremakes.
Apparently, the casting news about Harry Styles inThe Little Mermaidremake were “premature,” according to sources. The actor took a few weeks to make up his mind and later decided to pass. With that being said, it is believed that the decision was an amicable one between Harry Styles andDisney, which means it’s time to look for a new actor to play Prince Eric. At this time, there are no names being mentioned, but that will change in the near future as production is gearing to start up for the remake.
Harry Styleshas only one big screen credit (not counting his work with One Direction), but it’s a big one. Styles was cast in Christopher Nolan’s highly acclaimed WWII movieDunkirk. When his casting was first announced, many were wondering what Nolan saw in the popstar. Regardless, Styles' performance was praised, along with the rest of the movie and there are now a lot of people excited to see where he will go next. Styles was in talks to play the young Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic, but Austin Butler ended up getting the part.
Halle Bailey has been cast as ArielinThe Little Mermaidremake, which caused a stir when it was announced. However, the young actress/musician says she did not look at any of the negativity surrounding her casting, so it doesn’t bother her. Elsewhere, Javier Bardem is in talks to play King Triton, while Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play the villainous Ursula. Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina are also in talks to play Ariel’s friends, Flounder and Scuttle, respectively. As for Sebastian, it is believed Lin-Manuel Miranda will be taking on the role, especially since he is producing and writing songs for the upcoming remake.
Disney’sLittle Mermaidremake will bedirected by Rob Marshall from a screenplay written by David Magee. LikeThe Lion KingandAladdin, the under the sea musical is beloved by Disney fans and the pressure will be high to come close to touching the original. While the recent remakes haven’t been universally accepted, they have proven to be hits at the box office, withThe Lion Kingremake hailed as the biggest animated movie (Disney still calls it live-action) of all time after crossing the $1.3 billion mark. The Harry Styles news was first reported byVariety.
