Little Mermaid Remake Drops Another Classic Song

The highly anticipated live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has made another cut from the original animated film. The 1989 classic, featuring unforgettable music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, is set to make a splash with Halle Bailey as the daring young mermaid Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as the villainous sea witch Ursula. However, fans of the original movie may be disappointed to learn that a second song has been cut from the remake. "Les Poissons," a comedic number in which a chef chases down and attempts to cook the beloved crab Sebastian, will not be featured in the new film. According to director Rob Marshall, the song "never would have played" in a live-action format. Despite the cut, fans can still look forward to new songs co-written by Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as Ariel's first solo number. The Little Mermaid 2023 is set to release on May 26, and fans are eagerly anticipating this new take on the classic tale.

It's like a segment straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon. If we had attempted to film it, which I'm not even sure how we could have, it would have been a disaster. Additionally, it doesn't contribute to the overall storyline and would not work in a live-action adaptation.

Should Les Poissons be Removed from The Little Mermaid?

"Les Poissons" may not be as well-known as other songs from The Little Mermaid, but its absence in the upcoming film is not confirmed. The iconic songs like "Kiss the Girl," "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" will remain untouched, but there is still a possibility that "Les Poissons" could make an appearance. Despite its lesser popularity, the song holds its own and could add to the movie's overall charm.

It has been proven in the past that live-action films can incorporate sequences that possess a playful, cartoon-like quality. Movies such as Mousehunt and the wacky Scooby-Doo adaptations have successfully brought the essence of animation to more realistic settings. This suggests that the priority of the filmmakers behind The Little Mermaid is to maintain a sense of realism, rather than being limited by the constraints of live-action.

While it's true that the comic number "Les Poissons" is a bit of a digression from the main plot of the film, not every musical number needs to be directly tied to the storyline. Iconic Disney songs, such as Aladdin's "Friend Like Me," serve to establish character and playful tone, rather than further the plot. While "Les Poissons" may not be as beloved as some of these other songs, its absence could potentially impact the overall tone of the film. Only time will tell how the movie will fare without it.