They’re Remaking SPLASH And Channing Tatum’s Playing The Mermaid

A couple months ago, Brian Grazer casually revealed that a remake of Splash was in the works, and at the time he hinted that there'd be a twist to this new version of the film. Our first guess, of course, was that the film would revolve around a Merman rather than a Mermaid. 

Well, guess what?

Disney is in early discussions with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment about rebooting Splash, one of the production banner’s early classics. Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell are attached to star.

The original film followed a young man (played by Tom Hanks) who is reunited with a mermaid (Daryl Hannah) who saves him from drowning as a boy. He falls in love with her, not knowing who/what she is. In this version, Tatum will actually play the mermaid who saves Bell as a girl only to reunite with her years later.

So, fine, maybe they did the thing we all expected them to do, but: how 'bout that cast? I can absolutely see Channing Tatum (a more gifted physical comedian than he's given credit for) doing something great with this role, and I love the idea of him being paired with Jillian Bell (who is also no slouch in the comedy department). I'm still not sure I'm "excited" by the idea of a Splash remake, but this casting's certainly upped my interest in the project.

We should pause for a moment, though, and spend a moment quietly reflecting on all the childhoods that will be ruined by yet another insidiously genderswapped '80s remake. You have our sympathies.

Anyway, no word on when this one's going in front of cameras, but we do know Maria Lewis-Ryan is writing the script. Stay tuned for more as it becomes available.