Rob Marshall To Probably Make A Live-Action LITTLE MERMAID Next
For a while there, Sofia Coppola was attempting to make her own version of a live-action Little Mermaid movie, and the imagination ran wild with the possibilities. Imagine Sofia's languid style, as teenage Ariel stares out over the sea from atop her moss-covered rock, New Order or Psychadelic Furs droning in the background. It could've been one of the most improbable yet intoxicating pairings of artist and commerical property in forever.
Sadly, that picture never panned out at Universal, and now Disney is going to deliver their take, with Rob Marshall (Into the Woods) potentially at the helm. Marshall's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides made the studio over a billion dollars worldwide, while Chicago won Best Picture at the 75th Academy Awards (though Marshall lost in the Best Director category). Essentially, he's seen as a sure thing by Disney, and pairing him with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken - who will provide a combo of old and new songs - is a no-brainer in terms of B.O. potential.
Still, it's a bummer to think there could've been a stranger, artier take on this material, but let's face it: Disney's not really looking for that with these live-action musicals (though, in fairness, the cast of their new Lion King looks to be something special). If anything, it'll be a great matinee movie to take your mom to in 2019, as you know Meryl Streep's playing Ursula somehow.
