The Little Mermaid - Live-Action Hot Take

[Alkar]

HAHAHAHHA

Jesus Christ, what an asshole.

The only assholes I've seen here are those like you, once again you have no real arguments other than "you're racist".

If a character is recast to be a different race, it's a marketing stunt

If you agree with the change, you're a racist

Real galaxy brain stuff going on here.

And again with missing the point entirely. This specific case is a marketing stunt because Disney knew full well that changing Ariel (in any way, this time it happens to be her skin) would cause controversy and they even started the #notmyAriel nonsense to bank on it even more.

Racism is an opinion. Shouting, “It’s my opinion,” doesn’t make it not racist.


I mean I’ve given so many examples, yet Draylo can’t address them.

Biggest being, this does not negate “your” Ariel. I am 100% positive they’ll still have your white goddess version walking around Disney signing autographs. This is a reimagining of that story. And it isn’t being made for people like you. Buy the Blu-ray and watch the cartoon all day every day, no one is gonna give a fuck. The old one isn’t dying.

The rest of us will get to enjoy something new and refreshing.

This movie is being made for people like me, aka the fans of the original animated film, because they're reusing characters from that one and not retelling the original fairy tale. They'll have copy/pasted scenes with all the classic music just like any other live actions. How can you not see that changing anything about these characters could piss some people off? What if they changed your favorite childhood cartoon into something else entirely?
Disney has not changed the other main characters for the rest of the live actions that much, they all look the part. Fans had certain expectations that were not met, simple as that.
I'm just as pissed at the gender swapped seagull, Ariel is simply the bigger deal because she's the main character. And if Sebastian isn't Jamaican you'll see even more complaints from me.
Sure, the old cartoon is staying there but I won't get to see that story retold in a movie format like I did with Beauty and the Beast (although the script here was awful) Cinderella, etc. It'll be something else that is simply trying to imitate that old classic.
And that last sentence is pure gold lol, it simply shows that you have no idea what the original movie was about at all if you call this a new and refreshing experience only because they've changed her skin tone. I'm not the one with a skin problem here it seems.

[Zealot]

Nah pretty sure you're just an asshole.

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[6souls]

they even started the #notmyAriel nonsense to bank on it even more.

[Zealot]

Man in the comics Drax the Destroyer is a human named Arthur Douglas that was killed along with his wife (their daughter survived and eventually became the psychic assassin Moondragon) by Thanos when he saw him land a secret spaceship on Earth so that there would be no witnesses, but his soul was captured by Kronos, God of Titan (which was literally the moon Titan and not its own planet) and put into a new body sculpted from divine clay for the sole purpose of killing Thanos, and in the movies he's just an alien?? Guardians sucks, it's not made for REAL fans like me.

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[Alkar]

From Disney:



Also your rose petal translation conflicts with another that says rose leaf, but in both the only comment is upon the quality of her skin, not the color.

It's not my translation, it's written in the book. There seems to be slight differences between English and Italian but "her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea" seems pretty clear to me either way. I can't read Danish so I wouldn't know which is the more accurate one but given all the depictions of the character I'd say petal makes a lot more sense.
It was just an example, I was not stating that they should make her white because the author described her that way, simply that the original Ariel was accurate and faithful to the book. A new take on the fairy tale with a black mermaid would be fine and I'd like to see that, my issue is only with changing Ariel.
And don't get me started on that Disney statement, completely disrespectful to any fan of the original work and to those that made it in the first place. Such a dumb thing to post.

Look at all these people being given proof that ariel doesnt have to be white, and still struggling hard to find a reason to justify it sigh...

But hey it's not racist!

What proof? Ariel is white, that's her design. More importantly, where's the proof that she needs to be changed at all? There's none because it's all opinion. I think she was fine as she was, you think she's better as black. And I'm supposed to be racist huh?
We need more Tianas and less reskins of any kind, these don't help the cause at all. It's the lazy way out.

[Zealot]

Also since it was brought up again

In the 2015 Fant4stic movie, Sue Storm was the adopted one, not Johnny and also, neither her status as not a biological sister or Johnny being black had anything to do with that movie bombing, it was God-awful.

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[Zealot]

I'm actually on board now with the people arguing that it's just a publicity stunt, because if your sincere belief is that the only reason to cast someone of a different color in a role is to cause controversy, then ok buddy, you hold on to that and take it to your grave.

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[Alkar]

Man in the comics Drax the Destroyer is a human named Arthur Douglas that was killed along with his wife (their daughter survived and eventually became the psychic assassin Moondragon) by Thanos when he saw him land a secret spaceship on Earth so that there would be no witnesses, but his soul was captured by Kronos, God of Titan (which was literally the moon Titan and not its own planet) and put into a new body sculpted from divine clay for the sole purpose of killing Thanos, and in the movies he's just an alien?? Guardians sucks, it's not made for REAL fans like me.

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I couldn't care less about Marvel in general but it has been established for decades that the Marvel universe is full of alternate universes and new characters taking the titles when older ones die/retire/whatever. In that context it's all good, I appreciate all of them because they are in fact new characters each time using the mantle of older ones.
This is not what's happening here with Ariel.

[Milkster]

Holy cripes there's a lot of stupid in here.

It's unfortunate they are changing up Ariel. One of the neat things about the Disney princesses was they all were different enough that little girls typically had someone they could identify with. Ariel was the only redhead (iirc, i'm no Disney expert). Disney has been making solid efforts to expand their diversity with recent releases and that's exactly the tact they should take. Build more stories around new characters, don't change up old ones.

I get it, there's a loud contingency of racists that hate the change for the racial aspect, but there are plenty that don't like that a character's look is not what they remember or were looking forward to, and it's ok to not be happy they're changing the way Ariel was presented without it being a race issue as well. To use a totally benign and off-the-wall example, I'd be pissed as hell if the old 90's cartoon TMNT were changed to orange instead of green skin when they made "live action" movies too because i was looking forward to seeing the characters as i remember them.

At the end of the day, Disney is causing this drama on purpose. They're banking on all the free marketing the bitching is giving them and laughing all the way to the bank. The mouse is not stupid. Outrage is the new viral marketing.

Disney/Pixar also has Brave. So no she's not the only redhead princess.

Orange Turtles would actually make sense since you know they're genetically mutated from in essence radioactive ooze.

Art, depictions and adaptations happens and things will change. Your favorites or media you grew up with still exists. No one took that from you. You can go watch it literally right this second. It's not illegal. It's a remake. Remakes never stay the same 1:1. Because things, society and the world in general changes. You all bitching about the change probably get upset when your favorite artists try new sounds or do different things.

[Ksandra]

Skin color isn’t the only thing that’s changing. Last I checked, this is a live action film. Like the others. Which have also been new and refreshing. Which have also done minor changes.

[Alkar]

I'm actually on board now with the people arguing that it's just a publicity stunt, because if your sincere belief is that the only reason to cast someone of a different color in a role is to cause controversy, then ok buddy, you hold on to that and take it to your grave.

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Again, it's the main reason (not only reason) in this specific case. I've never said that people of colour are cast for publicity stunts but in this case yes, imo Disney is starting up controversy to get more coverage. Halle has a beautiful voice but she simply doesn't look the part established in the original animated movie (all the other live actions cast people who did).

[Ksandra]

It's not my translation, it's written in the book. There seems to be slight differences between English and Italian but "her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea" seems pretty clear to me either way. I can't read Danish so I wouldn't know which is the more accurate one but given all the depictions of the character I'd say petal makes a lot more sense.
It was just an example, I was not stating that they should make her white because the author described her that way, simply that the original Ariel was accurate and faithful to the book. A new take on the fairy tale with a black mermaid would be fine and I'd like to see that, my issue is only with changing Ariel.
And don't get me started on that Disney statement, completely disrespectful to any fan of the original work and to those that made it in the first place. Such a dumb thing to post.



What proof? Ariel is white, that's her design. More importantly, where's the proof that she needs to be changed at all? There's none because it's all opinion. I think she was fine as she was, you think she's better as black. And I'm supposed to be racist huh?
We need more Tianas and less reskins of any kind, these don't help the cause at all. It's the lazy way out.

I don’t think the argument being made on bg is that “she’s better as black” so much as we are happy they picked a good choice without skin color being a concern. We’re speaking up because people seem to have an idiotic response to her being casted. No one was crying to have her black, and if she was casted white, no one would be moaning. We’d like to have it no one would be moaning having her black, either.

I think there are many who are pleasantly surprised by it as it was not expected, but that’s not the same thing as saying she needed to be black or anything.

[Zealot]

Marvel called this happening a couple years ago when they made Sam Wilson Captain America. Steve Rogers was still around, and they were using a different character, not saying Steve was black now, and there was still outcry because people hated the idea of a black Cap, even one that had been an established part of the Captain America mythos for 40+ years. One of the central storylines through that whole arc was mirroring real life with people insisting he wasn't the "real" Captain America.

If Disney had made a Little Mermaid movie with Halle Bailey and said this was a new mermaid and her name was Blariel, there would still be just as many people if not more outraged that they weren't getting exactly what they remembered and saying this isn't the "real" Little Mermaid and why don't they just use Ariel, this is obviously just a publicity stunt.

Although this is the first time I've ever heard that I'm the REAL racist for not being bothered by a black person getting a part, that's some next level stuff.

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[Day]

lmao just not woke enough zealot

[Alkar]

Skin color isn’t the only thing that’s changing. Last I checked, this is a live action film. Like the others. Which have also been new and refreshing. Which have also done minor changes.

Please tell me which live action Disney movie changed the look of their main character or cast people that looked nothing like the animated movie.
Also so much for representation when you cast a woman for the role of Ursula instead of an actual drag queen given she was literally designed after one. Lana Parilla did a good job in OUaT but she still didn't look right, let alone the sorry excuse for an Ursula they had later on (although still not the real deal even in that universe).

[6souls]

imo Disney is starting up controversy to get more coverage.

First you said it like there was definite proof, now it's just your opinion? Dawg.

[Alkar]

I don’t think the argument being made on bg is that “she’s better as black” so much as we are happy they picked a good choice without skin color being a concern. We’re speaking up because people seem to have an idiotic response to her being casted. No one was crying to have her black, and if she was casted white, no one would be moaning. We’d like to have it no one would be moaning having her black, either.

I think there are many who are pleasantly surprised by it as it was not expected, but that’s not the same thing as saying she needed to be black or anything.

I'm not moaning because she's black, only because she was changed at all. I'd be complaining just as much if she was blonde really, it just happens that the only change done so far is her skin. Given the previous live actions I obviously was expecting something else and was disappointed.

Marvel called this happening a couple years ago when they made Sam Wilson Captain America. Steve Rogers was still around, and they were using a different character, not saying Steve was black now, and there was still outcry because people hated the idea of a black Cap, even one that had been an established part of the Captain America mythos for 40+ years. One of the central storylines through that whole arc was mirroring real life with people insisting he wasn't the "real" Captain America.

If Disney had made a Little Mermaid movie with Halle Bailey and said this was a new mermaid and her name was Blariel, there would still be just as many people if not more outraged that they weren't getting exactly what they remembered and saying this isn't the "real" Little Mermaid and why don't they just use Ariel, this is obviously just a publicity stunt.

Although this is the first time I've ever heard that I'm the REAL racist for not being bothered by a black person getting a part, that's some next level stuff.

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I wouldn't, a new black mermaid is totally fine by me. Because that actually takes effort (they'd need new characters and script although the base story would be similar) while this does not. But if you call this a remake of the original animated film I expect something else.
You're "racist" because you're saying she's better off this way and she wasn't good enough as she was. As if she needed to be black for the story to have any meaning. Obviously it's an hyperbole to show you how silly you sound when you call me racist simply because I don't want her changed in any form.

[Zealot]

Please tell me which live action Disney movie changed the look of their main character or cast people that looked nothing like the animated movie.
Also so much for representation when you cast a woman for the role of Ursula instead of an actual drag queen given she was literally designed after one. Lana Parilla did a good job in OUaT but she still didn't look right, let alone the sorry excuse for an Ursula they had later on (although still not the real deal even in that universe).

Dumbo.

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[Zealot]

You're "racist" because you're saying she's better off this way and she wasn't good enough as she was. As if she needed to be black for the story to have any meaning. Obviously it's an hyperbole to show you how silly you sound when you call me racist simply because I don't want her changed in any form.

I have literally not said anything even close to this at any point.

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[Alkar]

First you said it like there was definite proof, now it's just your opinion? Dawg.

There's evidence that they started the hashtag nonsense, obviously the rest followed. Unlike you lot I don't have the truth of the universe in my palm, I'm just a white supremacist after all no?