Melissa McCarthy's Ursula makes waves in The Little Mermaid Oscars trailer
Melissa McCarthy's Ursula gave herself as a gift to all us poor unfortunate souls with the new Little Mermaid trailer that aired during the Oscars Sunday night.
McCarthy herself was on hand as a presenter during the Academy Awards ceremony with costar Halle Bailey, who headlines Disney's live-action/CG adaptation of The Little Mermaid in (*Beanie Feldstein Lady Bird voice*) the titular role. The pair came out on stage to present this new look at the film.
A previous teaser offered but a glimpse at McCarthy's squid games while highlighting the character's familiar cackle. But the full-length trailer unveiled a full-on preview of the tentacled villainess as she casts a spell around her purple cauldron to snatch away Ariel's voice.
The footage also gives us first looks at some of the other Little Mermaid characters, like Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle.
Taking inspiration from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and the Disney animated classic, The Little Mermaid follows Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton, who longs to explore the surface world beyond the ocean.
After saving Prince Eric from drowning in a shipwreck, Ariel is scolded by her father. "You broke the rules; you went to the above world," says Bardem's Triton. "This obsession with humans has to stop!"
Disney Melissa McCarthy's Ursula weaves her spells on Ariel in Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'
That's where Ursula comes in. Since merfolk are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel strikes a deal with the sea witch to experience life on land. If she gives Ursula her voice, she can magically get legs — a move that inadvertently jeopardizes her father's entire kingdom.
"Poor child," McCarthy says as Ursula. "I can help you! You can't live in that world unless you become a human yourself." Repeating a classic line from the Disney animated original, she adds, "It's what I live for."
Other key roles are Art Malik as Sir Grimsby and Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina.
Disney Javier Bardem debuts as King Triton in 'The Little Mermaid'
The trailer also gives us glimpses at memorable Little Mermaid moments translated into CG and live-action, from the "Kiss the Girl" and "Under the Sea" musical numbers to a snapshot of Triton's glowing trident drifting towards the bottom of the sea.
Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall is at the helm of Disney's latest animation-to-live-action storybook tale. The film is set to open in theaters May 26.
Disney Ursula, King Triton, Prince Eric, and more grace the poster for 'The Little Mermaid'
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