Disney Junior announces “Ariel” animated series inspired by Halle Bailey’s ‘Little Mermaid’ character

Angel Saunders
·2 min read
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Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey

Halle Bailey’s on-screen portrayal of King Triton’s youngest daughter in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has been so inspiring that the company is ready to expand the franchise. The 2023 film will be reverted to a cartoon, but this time around, Ariel will have brown skin and red locs.

Today (June 13), Deadline announced the colossal company gave the green light for Disney Junior to release “Ariel,” an animated series for preschoolers based on The Little Mermaid. A photo for the new television program shows the adventurous princess smiling as she floats in the sea beside her trusty fish friend Flounder. The cartoon’s angle will revolve around her early years and feature familiar faces such as Sebastian, Ursula, and more. Executives are eyeing a 2024 release date.

Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, made the announcement today during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in Annecy, France. “For more than 30 years, the story of The Little Mermaid has been beloved by audiences all over the world. It brings me so much joy to be able to introduce our new Disney Junior version of Ariel to preschoolers everywhere,” Davis shared. Bailey has previously discussed the importance of representation depicted in the film. “I know people are like: ​‘It’s not about race.’ But now that I’m [Ariel], people don’t understand that when you’re Black, there’s this whole other community. It’s so important for us to see ourselves,” the 23-year-old stated in a February interview with The Face magazine.

Yesterday (June 12), Bailey reposted a video of a little Black girl dressed as the finned character. “This beautiful baby singing ‘Part of Your World’ while playing the piano is the best thing you will see today!” the original post read. “She’s such a star,” the actress added. According to Deadline, “the multicultural diversity of the Caribbean is highlighted through music, food, festivals, fashion, language and folklore” in Disney Junior’s “Ariel.”

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