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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Jabeen Waheed

The Little Mermaid live-action remake has a completely different ending to the original

The Little Mermaid has finally hit cinemas, and as one of Disney's most hotly anticipated movies in a long time, viewers and critics alike are not disappointed.

However, now that the Halle Bailey starring movie is out for the world to see, one question remains, does it stay true to the hugely successful 1989 animated film of the same name, or is the ending based on the initial 1837 book that kicked off everything?

This question is particularly important because the book's ending, written by Hans Christian Andersen, and the animated movie are entirely different.

In the movie from over thirty years earlier, mermaid Ariel ends up becoming a human while finally getting her happily ever after with Prince Eric.

In contrast, the fairytale book is a much darker affair, with the romance not being quite there as Eric does not actually fall for Ariel but, in fact, is smitten with someone else.

The Little Mermaid has finally hit cinemas (Disney)
The live-action version of The Little Mermaid is very similar to the 1989 animated film (Disney)

So, to answer the question, the ending of the live-action version of The Little Mermaid is very similar to the 1989 animated film because Ariel does end up becoming human.

However, the new movie isn't completely true to everything from the animated flick.

Fans noticed a slight change to Ariel's outfit in the new film compared to its animated counterpart, as the mermaid's iconic shell bra has been replaced by a bralette.

The animated film saw other mermaids - such as Ariel's sisters - wear shell bras like the title character, though they, too, have an updated wardrobe in the new adaptation.

The 1837 book is a much darker affair (Disney)

Costume designer Colleen Atwood - who worked on the film - spoke about the change to Ariel's outfit in an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine recently.

She explained to the outlet: "I just think we wanted to have a more fishlike quality to the girls. Having them all plonk seashells on their breasts seemed like a weird way to go."

Colleen continued by saying that it's difficult to make shells "look good" when put onto the cast's bodies, with the costume department instead opting for a bralette.

Halle plays the titular mermaid in the film alongside the likes of Melissa McCarthy as antagonist Ursula and Javier Bardem as the protagonist's father, King Triton.

Halle Bailey plays the titular mermaid in the film (Disney)

Jonah Hauer-King plays Prince Eric, and the cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina, who voice Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle, respectively.

A synopsis for the live-action film teases: "Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.

"While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life - and her father's crown - in jeopardy."

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