Disney Suspends Production on “The Little Mermaid” Live-Action Remake in Response to Coronavirus Concerns
Disney's planned live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey as the title character, has reportedly postponed production. The film, which was slated to begin filming later this month, is among the projects that Disney has placed on hold in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney made the decision nine days before production was set to begin. For the film, Halle will be joined by Jonah Hauer-King, who was cast as Prince Eric. There's been a lot of chatter over the rest of the cast, which is rumored to include Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, and Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder.
Although no one associated with the film has tested positive for COVID-19, Disney explained the thinking behind its decision in a statement. "While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our productions, after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew, we have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time," a spokesperson for Disney told The Hollywood Reporter. "We will continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible.” THR reports that other Disney films including Peter Pan & Wendy, plus Shrunk, a sequel to 1980s classic Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, are also on delay.
There's no word on how and if the postponement might affect the film's release date, but in recent days, Disney had delayed the premiere dates of films including Mulan and New Mutants.
COVID-19, a contagious disease that impacts the respiratory system, has been the cause of frequent recent delays and cancellations across all industries. Production has been halted on Riverdale and Euphoria, while major sporting events and concerts, including Billie Eilish's current North American tour, have been cancelled and postponed.
News of the delays and schedule changes is unfortunate, but it's best to remain aware of how these precautionary actions are helpful for the greater good. It's important to do your part to possibly slow the spread of the disease, but if you find yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed by constant reporting, it's fine to take a break, unplug from social media, or reach out to speak with a trusted adult or expert.
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