The Little Mermaid 2023 Remake Sparks Character Removal Debate

Explore The Controversy Surrounding Disney’s 2023 Live-action Remake Of The Little Mermaid, As Director Rob Marshall Explains The Removal Of A Key Character.

By Amitabh Mukherji
May 31,2023
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In Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, one key supporting character from the original 1989 animated film did not make the cut. Director Rob Marshall explained his decision to remove Chef Louis and his memorable musical number, “Les Poissons.” Marshall believed that the comedic scenes featuring Chef Louis chasing Sebastian the Crab in the kitchen didn’t translate well into a realistic live-action setting. He emphasized the need to make tough choices when adapting an animated classic into a more realistic film.

Overcoming Challenges: Making “Under The Sea” Work In Live-Action

Another challenge faced by Rob Marshall in The Little Mermaid remake was bringing the iconic musical number “Under the Sea” to life. Drawing inspiration from Walt Disney himself, Marshall incorporated an idea from the creation of Fantasia’s “Nutcracker Suite.” The director aimed to find fish and underwater animals that naturally exhibited a sense of dance, such as the ribbon eel, mimic octopus, and cartwheeling starfish. With only one live actor involved, the rest of the scene relied on computer-generated imagery (CG) to bring the underwater world and its lively characters to the screen.

Balancing Realism And Fantastical Elements: The Reason Behind Chef Louis’ Absence

Chef Louis

While the removal of Chef Louis was not the only change made in The Little Mermaid remake, it contributed to a sense of realism sought by Rob Marshall for a modern audience. The original film’s scenes involving Chef Louis added a cartoony element to the story, which Marshall wanted to steer away from in this adaptation. Although controversial among fans, the decision to remove Chef Louis served the overall narrative and aesthetic direction of the film. Marshall acknowledged the difficulty in making such drastic changes and acknowledged that the world has changed significantly since the original movie’s release, warranting alterations to resonate with today’s audience.

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