The Little Mermaid (1989 film)

Animated Disney film

"The Little Mermaid (Disney film)" redirects here. For the 2023 remake, see The Little Mermaid (2023 film).

The Little Mermaid

Theatrical release poster by John Alvin

Directed by|

* John Musker
* Ron Clements

Written by|

* John Musker
* Ron Clements

Based on| "The Little Mermaid"
by Hans Christian Andersen
Produced by|

* Howard Ashman
* John Musker

Starring|

* René Auberjonois
* Christopher Daniel Barnes
* Jodi Benson
* Pat Carroll
* Paddi Edwards
* Buddy Hackett
* Jason Marin
* Kenneth Mars
* Ben Wright
* Samuel E. Wright

Edited by| Mark Hester
Music by| Alan Menken

Production
company

Walt Disney Feature Animation

Distributed by| Buena Vista Pictures Distribution[a]

Release date

* November 17, 1989 (1989-11-17)

Running time

| 83 minutes[1]
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $40 million[2]
Box office| $235 million[3]

The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation in association with Silver Screen Partners IV and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is loosely based on the 1837 Danish fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen. The film was written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and produced by Musker and Howard Ashman, who also wrote the film's songs with Alan Menken, who also composed the film's score. Featuring the voices of René Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Paddi Edwards, Buddy Hackett, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Ben Wright, and Samuel E. Wright, The Little Mermaid tells the story of a teenage mermaid princess named Ariel, who dreams of becoming human and falls in love with a human prince named Eric, which leads her to make a magic deal with the sea witch, Ursula, to become human and be with him.

Walt Disney planned to put the story in a proposed package film containing Andersen's stories, but scrapped the project. In 1985, while working on The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Clements and Musker decided to adapt the fairy tale and proposed it to Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, who initially declined due to its similarities to a proposed sequel to the 1984 film Splash, but ultimately approved of it. Ashman became involved and brought in Menken. With supervision from Katzenberg, they made a Broadway-style structure with musical numbers as the staff was working on Oliver & Company (1988). Katzenberg warned that the film would earn less since it appealed to female viewers, but he eventually became convinced that it would be Disney's first blockbuster hit.

The Little Mermaid was released in theaters on November 17, 1989, to critical acclaim, earning praise for the animation, music, and characters. It was also a commercial success, garnering $84 million at the domestic box office during its initial release,[4] and $235 million in total lifetime gross worldwide,[3] becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1989. Along with the major success of both Disney's 1986 animated film The Great Mouse Detective[5][6] and the 1988 Disney/Amblin live-action/animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid is given credit for breathing life back into the art of Disney animated feature films after some films produced by Disney were struggling. It also marked the start of the era known as the Disney Renaissance.[7] The film won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song ("Under the Sea").

The film's success led to a media franchise. A direct-to-video sequel was released in 2000, focusing on Ariel's daughter, Melody. A prequel followed in 2008. The first film was adapted into a stage musical with a book by Doug Wright[8] and additional songs by Alan Menken and new lyricist Glenn Slater opened in Denver in July 2007 and began performances on Broadway January 10, 2008[9][10] starring Sierra Boggess.[11][12][13] Other derived works and material inspired by the film, include a 2019 live musical presentation on ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney, and a 2023 live-action film adaptation directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey. In 2022, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[14]

## Plot

[edit]

Under the Atlantic Ocean, in the kingdom of Atlantica, Ariel, a mermaid dissatisfied with her life, is fascinated by the human world and collects human artifacts in her grotto. With her best friend Flounder, Ariel visits Scuttle, a seagull who gives inaccurate information about humans. However, her father King Triton, the ruler of Atlantica, says contact between merpeople and humans is forbidden. One night, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian, a crab who serves as Triton's adviser and court composer, travel to the surface to watch a birthday celebration for Prince Eric. Ariel falls in love with Eric at first sight. A storm wrecks the ship and knocks Eric overboard. Ariel rescues Eric and brings him to shore. She sings to him, but leaves just as he regains consciousness to avoid being discovered. Discovering a change in Ariel's behavior, Triton questions Sebastian and learns of her love for Eric. Outraged, Triton travels to Ariel's grotto and destroys her collection of artifacts in a misguided attempt to protect her. After a remorseful Triton leaves, two eels named Flotsam and Jetsam convince Ariel to visit Ursula the sea witch.

Ursula makes a deal with Ariel to transform her into a human for three days in exchange for Ariel's voice, which Ursula puts in a nautilus shell. Within these three days, if Ariel receives a "true love's kiss", she will remain a human permanently. Otherwise, she will transform back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula. After accepting, Ariel is given human legs and taken to the surface by Flounder and Sebastian. Eric finds Ariel on the beach and takes her to his castle, unaware that she is the one who rescued him earlier. Ariel spends time with Eric, and at the end of the second day, they almost kiss but are thwarted by Flotsam and Jetsam. Furious at Ariel's close success, Ursula disguises herself as a young woman named Vanessa and appears onshore singing with Ariel's voice. Eric recognizes the song, and Ursula casts a hypnotic enchantment that makes him forget about Ariel.

The next day, Ariel discovers that Eric will be married to Vanessa. Scuttle discovers Vanessa's true identity and informs Ariel, who pursues the wedding barge. Sebastian informs Triton, and Scuttle disrupts the wedding with the help of various sea animals. In the chaos, Ursula's shell is destroyed, restoring Ariel's voice and breaking the enchantment over Eric. Realizing that Ariel is the girl who saved his life, Eric rushes to kiss her, but the sun sets and Ariel transforms back into a mermaid. Turning back into her true form, Ursula kidnaps Ariel. Triton confronts Ursula and demands Ariel's release, but the deal is inviolable. At Ursula's urging, Triton agrees to take Ariel's place as Ursula's prisoner, giving up his trident. Ariel is released as Triton transforms into a polyp and loses his authority over Atlantica. Ursula declares herself the Queen of the Seven Seas, but before she can use the trident, Eric appears with a harpoon. Ursula attempts to kill Eric, but Ariel intervenes, causing Ursula to inadvertently kill Flotsam and Jetsam. Enraged, Ursula uses the trident to grow in size.

Ariel and Eric reunite on the surface just before a gigantic Ursula separates them. She then gains full control of the ocean, creating a storm and bringing sunken ships to the surface. Just as Ariel is about to be killed, Eric commandeers a wrecked ship and impales Ursula with its splintered bowsprit. With Ursula dead, Triton and the other polyps in her garden revert to their original forms. Realizing that Ariel truly loves Eric, Triton turns her into a human and approves her marriage to Eric. Ariel and Eric marry on a ship and depart, with all of Ariel's friends and family watching them as well.

## Voice cast

[edit]

See also: List of The Little Mermaid characters

A promotional image of the principal characters from the film. From left to right: King Triton, Scuttle, Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, Ursula, and Flounder.

* Jodi Benson as Ariel, the 16-year-old adventurous and headstrong mermaid princess of Atlantica who is fascinated with the human world and falls in love with Prince Eric.[15]
* Benson also voices Vanessa, Ursula's human alter-ego and disguise she uses to sabotage her deal with Ariel.
* Christopher Daniel Barnes as Prince Eric, a dashing and dreamy human prince who is saved by Ariel and is determined to find and marry her.[16]
* Pat Carroll as Ursula, a manipulative and conniving sea witch who takes Ariel's voice in exchange for turning her into a human, planning to use Ariel as ransom to get her father's magical trident and take over Atlantica.[16]
* Kenneth Mars as King Triton, Ariel's strict and overprotective father and the ruler of Atlantica who is prejudiced towards humans.[16]
* Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, a red Jamaican-accented Caribbean crab who serves as King Triton's advisor and court composer.[16]
* Jason Marin as Flounder, a yellow tropical fish resembling a royal angelfish who is Ariel's best friend.[16]
* Buddy Hackett as Scuttle, a seagull who shares Ariel's fascination with humans and teaches her about "human stuff".[16]
* Paddi Edwards as Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula's symbiotic and insidious pet green moray eels.[16]
* Ben Wright as Grimsby, Eric's no-nonsense and loyal steward. Wright had played characters in previous Disney films like Roger Radcliffe in One Hundred and One Dalmatians and Rama in The Jungle Book.[16] This was his last role; he died four months before its release.
* René Auberjonois as Louis, Eric's eccentric and unhinged chef who attempts to cook Sebastian, but fails.[16]
* Edie McClurg as Carlotta, Eric's good-hearted and gentle maid.[16]
* Will Ryan as Harold, a seahorse who serves as Triton's herald.[16]

## Production

[edit]

### Writing

[edit]

Georges de La Tour's 1640 painting Magdalene with the Smoking Flame is shown in the film.

The Little Mermaid was originally planned as part of one of Walt Disney's earliest feature films, a proposed package film featuring vignettes of Hans Christian Andersen tales.[17] Development started soon after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the late 1930s, but was cancelled due to various circumstances.[18]

In 1985, Ron Clements became interested in a film adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" while he was serving as a director on The Great Mouse Detective (1986) alongside John Musker.[19] Clements discovered the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale while browsing through a bookstore.[20] Believing the story provided an "ideal basis" for an animated feature film and keen on creating a film that took place underwater,[19] Clements wrote and presented a two-page treatment of The Little Mermaid at Walt Disney Studios to chief Jeffrey Katzenberg at a "gong show" idea suggestion meeting. Katzenberg passed the project over, because at that time the studio was in development on a sequel to their live-action mermaid comedy Splash (1984) and felt The Little Mermaid would be too similar a project.[20] The next day, however, Katzenberg approved of the idea for possible development, along with Oliver & Company. While in production in the 1980s, the staff found, by chance, original story and visual development work done by Kay Nielsen for Disney's proposed 1930s Andersen feature.[17] Many of the changes made by the staff in the 1930s to Hans Christian Andersen's original story were coincidentally the same as the changes made by Disney writers in the 1980s.[20]

That year, Clements and Musker expanded the two-page idea into a 20-page rough script, eliminating the role of the mermaid's grandmother and expanding the roles of the Merman King and the sea witch. However, the film's plans were momentarily shelved as Disney focused its attention on Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Oliver & Company as more immediate releases.[20] In 1987, songwriter Howard Ashman became involved with the writing and development of The Little Mermaid after he was asked to contribute a song to Oliver & Company. He proposed changing the minor character Clarence, the English-butler crab, to a Jamaican crab and shifting the music style throughout the film to reflect this. At the same time, Katzenberg, Clements, Musker, and Ashman revised the story format to make The Little Mermaid a musical with a Broadway-style story structure, with the song sequences serving as the tentpoles of the film.[17] Ashman and composer Alan Menken, both noted for their work as the writers of the successful Off-Broadway stage musical Little Shop of Horrors, teamed up to compose the entire song score. In 1988, with Oliver & Company out of the way, The Little Mermaid was slated as the next major Disney release.[21]

### Animation

[edit]

More money and resources were dedicated to The Little Mermaid than any other Disney animated film in decades.[17] Aside from its main animation facility in Glendale, California, Disney opened a satellite feature animation facility during the production of The Little Mermaid in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (near Orlando, Florida), within Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World.[22] Opening in 1989, the Disney-MGM facility's first projects were to produce an entire Roger Rabbit cartoon short, Roller Coaster Rabbit, and to contribute ink and paint support to The Little Mermaid.[22] Another first for recent years was the filming of live actors and actresses for motion reference material for the animators, a practice used frequently for many of the Disney animated features produced under Walt Disney's supervision. Sherri Lynn Stoner, a former member of Los Angeles' Groundlings improvisation comedy group, and Joshua Finkel, a Broadway actor, performed key scenes as Ariel and Eric respectively.[20][23] Jodi Benson had already been cast as Ariel's voice actor by this time, and her recorded dialogue was used as playback to guide these live-action references.[23] Before Benson was cast, Melissa Fahn was considered for the part.[24]

The Little Mermaid's supervising animators included Glen Keane and Mark Henn on Ariel, Duncan Marjoribanks on Sebastian, Andreas Deja on King Triton, and Ruben Aquino on Ursula.[17] Originally, Keane had been asked to work on Ursula, as he had established a reputation for drawing large, powerful figures, such as the bear in The Fox and the Hound (1981) and Professor Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective (1986). Keane, however, was assigned as one of the two lead artists on the petite Ariel and oversaw the "Part of Your World" musical number. He jokingly stated that his wife looks exactly like Ariel "without the fins."[25] The character's body type and personality were based upon those of Alyssa Milano, then starring on TV's Who's the Boss? and the effect of her hair underwater was based on both footage of Sally Ride when she was in space,[17] and scenes of Stoner in a pool for guidance in animating Ariel's swimming.[26] Many of Stoner's mannerisms also became part of Ariel's character, such as the way she bit her lip or the way she expressed through hand gestures.[27]

The underwater setting required the most special effects animation for a Disney animated feature since Fantasia in 1940. Effects animation supervisor Mark Dindal estimated that over a million bubbles were drawn for this film, in addition to the use of other processes such as airbrushing, backlighting, superimposition, and some computer animation. The artistic manpower needed for The Little Mermaid required Disney to farm out most of the underwater bubble effects animation in the film to Pacific Rim Productions, a China-based firm with production facilities in Beijing.[17] An attempt to use Disney's famed multiplane camera for the first time in years for quality "depth" shots failed because the machine was reputedly in dilapidated condition. The multiplane shots, three in total, were instead photographed at an outside animation camera facility.[17][28]

The Little Mermaid is the last Walt Disney Animation Studios feature film to use the traditional hand-painted cel method of animation.[29] Disney's next film, The Rescuers Down Under, used a digital method of coloring and combining scanned drawings developed for Disney by Pixar called CAPS/ink & paint (Computer Animation Production System), which would eliminate the need for cels, the multiplane camera, and many of the optical effects used for the last time in The Little Mermaid. Clements and Musker's next film, Aladdin, also used digital coloring via CAPS. A CAPS/ink & paint prototype was used experimentally on a few scenes in The Little Mermaid, and one shot produced using CAPS/ink & paint—the penultimate shot in the film, of Ariel and Eric's wedding ship sailing away under a rainbow—appears in the finished film. Computer-generated imagery was used to create some of the wrecked ships in the final battle, a staircase behind a shot of Ariel in Eric's castle, and the carriage Eric and Ariel are riding in when she bounces it over a ravine. These objects were animated using 3D wireframe models, which were plotted as line art to cels and painted traditionally.[17] The film being both the only film of the Disney Renaissance and the last in the studio's history overall to use the xerography technology used since 1961 with One Hundred and One Dalmatians made it somewhat of a transitional film between the two Disney eras.[30][31]

### Casting

[edit]

The design of the villainous Ursula was based upon drag performer Divine.[17] An additional early inspiration before Divine was Joan Collins in her role as Alexis Carrington in the television series Dynasty, due to a suggestion from Howard Ashman, who was a fan of the series.[32] Pat Carroll was not Clements and Musker's first choice to voice Ursula; the original script had been written with Bea Arthur of the Disney-owned TV series The Golden Girls in mind. After Arthur turned the part down, actresses such as Nancy Marchand, Nancy Wilson, Roseanne, Charlotte Rae, Jennifer Saunders and Elaine Stritch were considered for the part.[33] Stritch was eventually cast as Ursula, but clashed with Howard Ashman's style of music production and was replaced by Carroll.[33] Various actors auditioned for additional roles in the film, including Jim Carrey for the role of Prince Eric, and comedians Bill Maher and Michael Richards for the role of Scuttle.[32]

### Music

[edit]

Main article: The Little Mermaid (1989 soundtrack)

The Little Mermaid was considered by some as "the film that brought Broadway into cartoons".[34] Alan Menken wrote the Oscar-winning score, and collaborated with Howard Ashman on the songs. One of the film's most prominent songs, "Part of Your World", was nearly cut from the film when it seemingly tested poorly with children, who became rowdy during the scene. This caused Jeffrey Katzenberg to feel that the song needed to be cut, an idea that was resisted by Musker, Clements and Keane. Both Musker and Clements cited the similar situation of the song "Over the Rainbow" nearly being cut from 1939's The Wizard of Oz when it was appealing to Katzenberg. Keane pushed for the song to remain until the film was in a more finalized state. During a second test screening, the scene, now colorized and further developed, tested well with a separate child audience, and the musical number was kept.[32]

## Release

[edit]

The film was originally released on November 17, 1989, followed by a re-release on November 14, 1997.[35] After the success of the 3D re-release of The Lion King, Disney announced a 3D re-release of The Little Mermaid scheduled for September 13, 2013,[36] but this was cancelled on January 14, 2013, due to the under-performances of other Disney 3D re-releases until further notice.[37] The 3D version was released on Blu-ray instead,[38][39] but it did play a limited engagement at the El Capitan Theatre from September to October 2013.[40] On September 20, 2013, The Little Mermaid began playing in select theaters where audiences could bring iPads and use an app called Second Screen Live.[41] AMC Theatres screened the movie from September 6–12, 2019.[42] The film was also screened out of competition at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.[43]

### Home media

[edit]

In a then-atypical and controversial move for a new Disney animated film, The Little Mermaid was released as part of the Walt Disney Classics line of VHS, LaserDisc, Betamax and Video 8 home media releases on May 18, 1990, six months after the release of the film.[21] Before The Little Mermaid, only a select number of Disney's catalog animated films had been released to home media, as the company was afraid of upsetting its profitable practice of theatrically reissuing each film every few years.[21] The Little Mermaid became that year's top-selling title on home video, with over 10 million units sold (including 7 million in its first month) and 13 million units by October 1993.[44][45] The home video release, along with box office and merchandise sales, contributed to The Little Mermaid generating a total revenue of $1 billion.[46] This success led to future Disney animated films being released on home video soon after the end of their theatrical runs, rather than delayed for several years, making The Little Mermaid the first Disney animated feature to be released on home video 1 year after its theatrical release.[21]

Following The Little Mermaid's November 14, 1997 re-release in theaters, a new VHS version was released on March 31, 1998, as part of the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection and included a bonus music video of Jodi Benson singing "Part of Your World" during the end credits, replacing "Under the Sea" as the end credits song.[47] The VHS sold 13 million units and ranked as the third best-selling video of the year.[48][49]

The Little Mermaid was released in a "bare-bones" Walt Disney Limited Issue DVD on December 7, 1999, with a standard video transfer.[50] The film was re-released on DVD on October 3, 2006, as part of the Walt Disney Platinum Editions of features, alongside the music video for the cover version of "Kiss The Girl" performed by Ashley Tisdale.[51] Deleted scenes and several in-depth documentaries were included, as well as an Academy Award-nominated short film intended for the shelved Fantasia 2006, The Little Matchgirl.[52] The DVD sold 1.6 million units on its first day of release,[53] and over 4 million units during its first week, making it the biggest animated DVD debut for October. By the year's end, the DVD had sold about 7 million units and was one of the year's top 10 selling DVDs.[54] The Walt Disney Platinum Edition DVD was released as part of a "Little Mermaid Trilogy" boxed set on December 16, 2008.[55] The Walt Disney Platinum Edition of the film, along with its sequels, went on moratorium in January 2009. The film was re-released on a 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo, a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo and 3D Blu-ray on October 1, 2013, as part of the Walt Disney Diamond Edition line.[38][56] The Little Mermaid was re-released on HD and 4K digital download on February 12, 2019, with a physical media re-release on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on February 26, 2019, as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection of the film's 30th anniversary.[citation needed]

### Live presentations

[edit]

In June 2016, Disney held special presentations of the film at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, titled The Little Mermaid in Concert. The performances combined a screening of The Little Mermaid with live accompaniment by guest musicians and celebrities, including Sara Bareilles (who performed as Ariel), Tituss Burgess (who performed as Sebastian as a reprisal of his role in the stage adaptation), Darren Criss (who performed as Prince Eric), Rebel Wilson (who performed as Ursula), Joshua Colley (who performed as Flounder), John Stamos (who performed as Chef Louis) and Norm Lewis (who performed as King Triton as a reprisal of his role in the stage adaptation). The four additional songs written for the stage adaptation were also incorporated into the presentation, accompanied by scenes of the film's original concept art. During the third and final performance, Jodi Benson replaced Bareilles to reprise her original role as Ariel, while Brad Kane (the singing voice of the title character of Aladdin) and Susan Egan (who played Belle in the stage adaptation of Beauty and the Beast) also made special appearances, singing songs from their respective films, and a duet of "A Whole New World".[57][58]

From May 17–18, 2019, the Hollywood Bowl hosted another live presentation, titled The Little Mermaid: An Immersive Live-to Film Concert Experience. These performances once again combined a screening of the film with live renditions of the film's songs, this time starring Lea Michele as Ariel, Harvey Fierstein as Ursula, Cheech Marin as Chef Louis, Ken Page as Sebastian, Peter Gallagher as King Triton, Leo Gallo as Prince Eric, Joshua Turchin as Flounder, and an uncredited actor as Scuttle. This presentation utilized the some songs written for the screen adaptation and some from the stage adaptation, including Joshua Turchin singing "She's in Love" from the Broadway adaptation, The Little Mermaid.[59][60]

## Reception

[edit]

### Box office

[edit]

Early in the production of The Little Mermaid, Jeffrey Katzenberg cautioned Clements, Musker, and their staff, telling them that since The Little Mermaid was a "girl's film", it would make less money at the box office than Oliver & Company, which had been Disney's biggest animated box office success in a decade.[20][21] However, by the time the film was closer to completion, Katzenberg was convinced The Little Mermaid would be a hit and the first animated feature to earn more than $100 million in its initial run and become a "blockbuster" film.[20][21]

During its original 1989 theatrical release, The Little Mermaid made $6.1 million in its opening weekend, ranking in third place behind Harlem Nights and Look Who's Talking.[61] Throughout this run, it earned $84.4 million at the North American box office,[62] falling short of Katzenberg's expectations but earning 64% more than Oliver & Company[21] and becoming the animated film with the highest gross from its initial run.[63] The film was theatrically reissued on November 14, 1997, on the same day as Anastasia, a Don Bluth animated feature for Fox Animation Studios. For this release, it ranked in third place behind The Jackal and Starship Troopers, collecting $9.8 million during its first weekend.[64] The reissue brought $27.2 million in additional gross.[62] The film also drew $123 million in box office earnings outside the United States and Canada between both releases, resulting in a total international box office figure of $235 million.[3]

### Critical reception

[edit]

The Little Mermaid was released to critical acclaim, receiving particular praise for its music.[65][66] Review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film has a 93% approval score based on 71 reviews and an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's consensus reads "The Little Mermaid ushered in a new golden era for Disney animation with warm and charming hand-drawn characters and catchy musical sequences."[67] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100 based on 24 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[68]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times was enthusiastic about the film, writing, "The Little Mermaid is a jolly and inventive animated fantasy—a movie that's so creative and so much fun it deserves comparison with the best Disney work of the past." Ebert also commented positively on the character of Ariel, stating she "is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, instead of hanging around passively while the fates decide her destiny."[69] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune wrote, "While the story won't win any prizes from the women's liberation movement, the animation is so full and colorful and the songs so beguiling that this is a case of where someone made one like they used to. The drawing of the evil octopus witch who is jealous of the mermaid's singing voice is particularly outstanding."[70] Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the film as a "marvel of skillful animation, witty songwriting and smart planning. It is designed to delight filmgoers of every conceivable stripe... Adults will be charmed by the film's bright, outstandingly pretty look and by its robust score. Small children will be enchanted by the film's sunniness and by its perfect simplicity."[71]

Variety magazine praised the film for its cast of characters, Ursula in particular, as well as its animation, stating that the animation "proves lush and fluid, augmented by the use of shadow and light as elements like fire, sun and water illuminate the characters." They also praised the musical collaboration between Howard Ashman and Alan Menken "whose songs frequently begin slowly but build in cleverness and intensity."[72] During the film's 1997 re-release, Hal Hinson of The Washington Post wrote a mixed review, referring to it as a "likably unspectacular adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic."[73]

The staff of TV Guide wrote a positive review, praising the film's return to the traditional Disney musical as well as the film's animation. Yet they also wrote that the film is detracted from by the juvenile humor and the human characters' eyes. While still giving a positive review, they stated that the film "can't compare to the real Disney classics (which appealed equally to both kids and adults)."[74] Todd Gilchrist of IGN wrote a positive review of the film, stating that the film is "an almost perfect achievement". Gilchrist also praised how the film revived interest in animation as it was released at a time when interest in animation was at a lull.[75] Empire gave a positive review of the film, stating that "[The Little Mermaid is] a charmer of a movie, boasting all the ingredients that make a Disney experience something to treasure yet free of all the politically correct, formulaic elements that have bogged down the more recent productions."[76]

In April 2008 – 19 years after the film's initial release in 1989 – Yahoo! users voted The Little Mermaid as No. 14 on the top 30 animated films of all time. In June, that same year, the film remained on the list but dropped six slots to end at #20. (Only three other traditionally animated Disney animated films - Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King, respectively - scored above it in the poll even after the update.)[77] In 2011, Richard Corliss of Time magazine named it one of "The 25 All-TIME Best Animated Films".[78]

### Accolades

[edit]

The film earned three Academy Award nominations, making it the first Disney animated film to earn nominations since The Rescuers in 1977.

Bolstered by the film's success and the soundtrack's award wins, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in September 1990 for shipments of two million copies of the soundtrack album, an unheard of feat for an animated film at the time.[79] To date, the soundtrack has been certified six times platinum.[79]

List of awards and nominations

Award  | Category  | Nominee(s)  | Result  | Ref.
Academy Awards | Best Original Score | Alan Menken | Won  | [80]
Best Original Song | "Kiss the Girl"
Music by Alan Menken;
Lyrics by Howard Ashman | Nominated
"Under the Sea"
Music by Alan Menken;
Lyrics by Howard Ashman  | Won
Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film Casting – Comedy | Mary V. Buck and Susan Edelman  | Nominated  | [81]
BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award  | Alan Menken  | Won  |
Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Nominated  | [82]
[83]
Best Original Score | Alan Menken  | Won
Best Original Song | "Kiss the Girl"
Music by Alan Menken;
Lyrics by Howard Ashman  | Nominated
"Under the Sea"
Music by Alan Menken;
Lyrics by Howard Ashman  | Won
Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing – Animated Feature | Won  |
Golden Screen Awards | Won  |
Grammy Awards | Best Recording for Children | The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack –
Various Artists  | Won  | [84]
The Little Mermaid Read-Along – Roy Dotrice | Nominated
Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television | The Little Mermaid: Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack –
Alan Menken  | Nominated
Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television | "Kiss the Girl" – Alan Menken and Howard Ashman  | Nominated
"Under the Sea" – Alan Menken and Howard Ashman  | Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Animation | John Musker and Ron Clements | Won  | [85]
Online Film & Television Association Awards  | Film Hall of Fame: Productions  | Inducted  | [86]
Film Hall of Fame: Songs  | "Under the Sea"  | Inducted  | [87]
Satellite Awards | Outstanding Youth DVD | Won  | [88]
Young Artist Awards | Best Family Motion Picture – Adventure or Cartoon  | Won  | [89]

## Legacy

[edit]

### Importance

[edit]

The Little Mermaid, which was Disney's first animated fairy tale since Sleeping Beauty (1959),[20] is an important film in animation history for many reasons. It was instrumental in re-establishing feature-length animation as a profitable venture for the Walt Disney Company, as the company's theme parks, television productions, and live-action features had overshadowed the animated output since the 1950s.[21] The Little Mermaid was the second film, following Oliver & Company, produced after Disney began expanding its animated output following its successful live action/animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and became Disney's first animated major box office and critical hit since The Jungle Book (1967), 22 years earlier.[21] Walt Disney Feature Animation was further expanded as a result of The Little Mermaid and increasingly successful follow-ups – Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994). The staff increased from 300 members in 1988 to 2,200 in 1999 spread across three studios in Burbank, California, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.[22]

In addition, The Little Mermaid signaled the re-establishment of the musical film format as a standard for Disney animated films. The majority of Disney's most popular animated films from the 1930s on had been musicals, though by the 1970s and 1980s the role of music had been de-emphasized in the films.[20] 1988's Oliver & Company had served as a test of sorts to the success of the musical format before Disney committed to the Broadway-style structure of The Little Mermaid.[20]

In 2022, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[14]

### Retrospective criticism

[edit]

Dr. Michael Landis, a history teacher at State University of New York, Ulster, writing for Smithsonian Magazine in 2019, says the film "sent important messages about identity to its young audiences," including topics of gay rights (the central character, Ariel, "feels constrained by her patriarchal society" and is "in the closet"), gender fluidity, and body image issues.[90] Ariel turns to "the only strong female in the entire film and thus Ariel's only female role model," the villain Ursula (who was based on famous drag queen Divine, herself closely associated with gay filmmaker John Waters). Landis invokes Laura Sells and her argument that, "Ariel learns [from Ursula that] gender [is not]...a natural category, but...a performed construct." He adds:

> In short, Ursula represents feminism, the fluidity of gender, and young Ariel's empowerment. Ariel can be anything she wants, yet she chooses the role of young bride and human conformity. To ensure Ariel's transition to domesticity, the men of her life murder Ursula with a "conveniently phallic" symbol, according to Patrick D. Murphy: or, as Sells puts it, "the ritual slaughtering of the archetypal evil feminine character." Either way, the movie implicitly offers a dark and disturbing message about the limits of American society in the late 1980s.

In 2018, an all-male Princeton a capella choir, the Tigertones, was criticized for using the song "Kiss the Girl", and in particular the way their performance played into the lyrics. The film depicts a mute female character in a romantic setting with a male character, while the lyrics encourage him to kiss her. The Tigertones would bring on stage two unsuspecting members of the audience, one man and one woman, and encouraged them to kiss. Critics have raised issues of informed consent being at stake, as well as toxic masculinity.[91] Comparisons were also drawn to other Disney animated films that provoked similar arguments, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, wherein the prince kisses an unconscious Snow White.[92][93] Some Princeton students told The New York Times that the lyrics were not troubling, but the Tigertones choosing people at random was.[94]

Also in 2018, actor Keira Knightley said she would not permit her 3-year-old to watch Disney films, including Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, saying, "This is the one that I'm quite annoyed about, because I really like the film, but Little Mermaid, I mean, the songs are great, but do not give your voice up for a man. Hello."[92]

Actor, comedian, and writer Mindy Kaling expressed similar sentiments:

> The Little Mermaid is a little problematic to me. I love the songs, I love the crab, Ursula the Sea Witch is a great character, but it bums me out looking back on it because she gave up her voice and left her family and friends in pursuit of a man. And she's 16 years old. When my daughter and I watch it together and she gets older, I'll still let her watch it, but I'll have to do the running commentary of like, 'You don't have to be mute to attract a man and get all your dreams to come true. It's fine! The people in your life who are your enemies are not just an older woman who's jealous of your beauty. The ultimate dream in life is not to become married to a white prince.'[95]

In May 2023, while reviewing the live-action adaptation, /Film writer Vanessa Armstrong admitted to not being a fan of the original film, lambasting the romance, saying in full:

> There are aspects of it I do enjoy (specifically the soundtrack, scored by Alan Menken with songs by Menken and Howard Ashman), but the story surrounding Ariel and Prince Eric's romance hasn't aged well. At all. So much so, in fact, that when my toddler asks to watch "the merfmaid" (Ariel's Undersea Adventure attraction at Disney California Adventure introduced her to the Disney version of the tale), I turn on the direct-to-video prequel released in 2008: The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. Does the movie hold a flame to the first film? It does not. But even though the mom dies in Ariel's Beginning (it's still Disney, after all), it doesn't send the message to my daughter that girls should sacrifice parts of themselves to be with someone, much less someone you just met, where the only connection you share is that you both think the other is attractive.[96]

### Theme parks

[edit]

Ariel is a meet-and-greet character appearing at Disney theme parks around the world, including in specific meet-and-greet locations such as Ariel's Grotto.[97] A dark ride based on the film, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, opened at both Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in 2011 and 2012, respectively.[98] Both attractions tell the story of the film by taking riders through scenes based on the film's various musical numbers. Various live entertainment shows based on the film can be found at Disney theme parks worldwide, including Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney's Hollywood Studios and King Triton's Concert at Tokyo DisneySea. The Mermaid Lagoon land at Tokyo DisneySea is also based on the film.[99]

## Other media

[edit]

Further information: The Little Mermaid (franchise)

### Television series

[edit]

A prequel animated series based on the film premiered in late 1992 on the CBS television network, following Ariel's adventures before the events of the film.[100]

### Sequel and prequel

[edit]

A direct-to-video sequel, titled The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, was released on September 19, 2000. The plot focuses on Ariel's daughter, Melody, who longs to be a part of the ocean world.[101] A direct-to-video prequel, titled The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning, was released in 2008. The story is set before the events of the original film, in which King Triton has banned music from Atlantica.[102]

### The Little Mermaid Live!

[edit]

Main article: The Little Mermaid Live!

The Wonderful World of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live was set to air on October 3, 2017, and would have featured a broadcast of the film with a similar format to the Hollywood Bowl concerts.[103] However, on August 3, 2017, it was announced that the special had been dropped due to budget issues.[104] The project was revived to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the film's original release, and was aired on November 5, 2019. Auliʻi Cravalho, Queen Latifah and Shaggy starred as Ariel, Ursula and Sebastian, respectively.[105] Other cast members included John Stamos as Chef Louis and Graham Phillips as Prince Eric.[106] The special featured performances of songs from the film and its Broadway adaptations in a themed "dive-in theater" setting at the Disney lot, accompanied by the film itself.[105][107] It was produced by Done and Dusted, with director-executive producer Hamish Hamilton.[108] In addition to marking the film's anniversary, the special was also used as a pre-launch promotional push for the new Disney+ streaming service, which was launched on November 12, 2019.[109][110]

### Live-action film adaptation

[edit]

Main article: The Little Mermaid (2023 film)

In May 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that Disney was in early development for a live-action adaptation of the film[111] directed by Rob Marshall, with a screenplay by David Magee and Jane Goldman, and a story written by Magee, Marshall and John DeLuca.[112] Alan Menken returns as composer and penned new songs alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also serves as a co-producer alongside Marc Platt, Marshall and DeLuca.[113][112] Halle Bailey stars as Ariel along with Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy, with Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina in voice roles.[114] Filming wrapped on July 11, 2021.[115] and the film was released on May 26, 2023.[116]

## See also

[edit]

* The Little Mermaid (franchise)
* Mermaids in popular culture
* List of Disney theatrical animated feature films
* List of Disney animated films based on fairy tales

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution through the Walt Disney Pictures banner with funding by Silver Screen Partners IV.

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[edit]

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## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Little Mermaid (1989 film).

Wikiquote has quotations related to The Little Mermaid (1989 film).

* Official website
* The Little Mermaid at IMDb
* The Little Mermaid at Box Office Mojo
* The Little Mermaid at Rotten Tomatoes

The Little Mermaid

* v
* t
* e

Disney's The Little Mermaid

Films|

| Animated|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
* The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)

|

Live-action|

* The Little Mermaid (2023)

Television series|

* The Little Mermaid (1992–1994)
* Sebastian (1993)
* Ariel (2024–present)

Characters|

* Ariel
* Ursula

Music|

| Albums|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Sebastian from The Little Mermaid
* Sebastian: Party Gras!
* Songs from the Sea
* Splash Hits
* The Little Mermaid (2023)

|

Songs|

* "Fathoms Below"
* "Part of Your World"
* "Under the Sea"
* "Poor Unfortunate Souls"
* "Les Poissons"
* "Kiss the Girl"

Related|

* The Music Behind the Magic

Adaptations|

* Musical
* The Little Mermaid Jr.
* Live television special
* Once Upon a Time
* "Ariel"
* "Dark Hollow"
* "The Jolly Roger"
* "Poor Unfortunate Soul"
* Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale

Attractions|

* Ariel's Grotto
* Ariel's Undersea Adventure
* A Musical Adventure
* King Triton's Carousel of the Sea
* Mermaid Lagoon
* Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Video games|

* The Little Mermaid (1991)
* Ariel the Little Mermaid (1992)
* Ariel's Story Studio (1997)
* Disney's The Little Mermaid Print Studio (1998)
* Disney's The Little Mermaid Activity Center (1998)
* The Little Mermaid II: Pinball Frenzy (2000)
* The Little Mermaid Pinball (2005)

| Related|

* Kingdom Hearts series
* Kingdom Hearts [2002]
* Chain of Memories [2004]
* II [2005]
* Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure (2012)
* Disney Magic Kingdoms (2018)
* Disney Mirrorverse (2022)
* Disney Speedstorm (2023)
* Disney Dreamlight Valley (2023)

|

Related|

* Adaptations of "The Little Mermaid"
* Disney Renaissance
* Disney Princess
* House of Mouse
* Mickey's Magical Christmas
* Mickey's House of Villains
* Sofia the First: The Floating Palace
* Ralph Breaks the Internet
* Waking Sleeping Beauty
* Howard
* Descendants
* Descendants 2
* Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest
* Once Upon a Studio

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" (1837)

Films|

* The Little Mermaid (1968)
* Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid (1975)
* The Little Mermaid (1976 Czech film)
* The Little Mermaid (1976 Russian film)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Little Mermaid (2018)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)

Television|

* Adventures of the Little Mermaid (1991)
* The Idle Mermaid (2014)
* The Little Mermaid Live! (2019)

Other|

* Statue
* List of adaptations
* Disney franchise
* The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
* The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
* Stage musical
* The Little Mermaid Jr. (stage musical)
* Kingdom Hearts II
* Ariel
* Ursula
* Once Upon a Time
* "Ariel"
* The Lure
* The Mermaid
* Rusalka (opera)
* Puella Magi Madoka Magica
* Dyesebel
* Undine (novella)
* Ponyo

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

* The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Hercules (1997)
* Treasure Planet (2002)
* The Princess and the Frog (2009)
* Moana (2016)

* v
* t
* e

Howard Ashman

Musicals|

* God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1979)
* Little Shop of Horrors (1982)
* Smile (1986)
* Beauty and the Beast (1994)
* The Little Mermaid (2007)
* Aladdin (2014)

Musical films|

* Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
* Oliver & Company (1988)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Aladdin (2019)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)

Soundtracks|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Aladdin (2019)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)

Songwriter|

* "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" (1986)
* "Fathoms Below" (1989)
* "Part of Your World" (1989)
* "Under the Sea" (1989)
* "Poor Unfortunate Souls" (1989)
* "Les Poissons" (1989)
* "Kiss the Girl" (1989)
* "Belle" (1991)
* "Gaston" (1991)
* "Be Our Guest" (1991)
* "Something There" (1991)
* "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)
* "The Mob Song" (1991)
* "Human Again" (1991)
* "Proud of Your Boy" (1992)
* "Friend Like Me" (1992)
* "Prince Ali" (1992)

Related articles|

* Alan Menken
* Howard Sings Ashman
* Howard (2018)

* v
* t
* e

Alan Menken

Awards and nominations

Musicals|

* Dear Worthy Editor (1974)
* God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1979)
* Little Shop of Horrors (1982)
* Personals (1985)
* A Christmas Carol (1994)
* Beauty and the Beast (1994)
* King David (1997)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1999)
* Sister Act (2006)
* The Little Mermaid (2007)
* Leap of Faith (2010)
* Newsies (2011)
* Aladdin (2014)
* The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (2015)
* A Bronx Tale (2016)
* Hercules (2019)

Musical films|

* Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Rocky V (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Newsies (1992)
* Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Life with Mikey (1993)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Home on the Range (2004)
* Noel (2004)
* The Shaggy Dog (2006)
* Enchanted (2007)
* Tangled (2010)
* Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
* Jock the Hero Dog (2011)
* Mirror Mirror (2012)
* Sausage Party (2016)
* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
* Holmes & Watson (2018)
* Aladdin (2019)
* Disenchanted (2022)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)
* Spellbound (2024)
* Aladdin: The Broadway Musical (TBA)

Television|

* Sesame Street (1989–1990)
* Polly (1989)
* Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990)
* A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)
* The Neighbors (2013)
* Galavant (2015–2016)
* Tangled: Before Ever After (2017)
* Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017–2020)
* The Little Mermaid Live! (2019)
* Central Park
* The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
* Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (2022)

Documentary|

* A Dancer's Life (1972)
* Howard (2018)

Soundtracks|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Beauty and the Beast (1994)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Enchanted (2007)
* Tangled (2010)
* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Aladdin (2019)
* Disenchanted (2022)
* Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (2022)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Disney Princess

* Snow White
* Cinderella
* Aurora
* Ariel
* Belle
* Jasmine
* Pocahontas
* Mulan
* Tiana
* Rapunzel
* Merida
* Moana
* Raya

Films|

| Theatrical
animated|

* Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
* Cinderella (1950)
* Sleeping Beauty (1959)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* Mulan (1998)
* The Princess and the Frog (2009)
* Tangled (2010)
* Brave (2012)
* Moana (2016)
* Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
* Moana 2 (2024)

|

Direct-to-video|

* The Return of Jafar (1994)
* Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)
* Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
* Belle's Magical World (1998)
* Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)
* Belle's Tales of Friendship (1999)
* The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
* Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
* Mulan II (2004)
* Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
* Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007)
* The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)

Shorts|

* Tangled Ever After (2012)
* The Legend of Mor'du (2012)

Live-action
adaptations/remakes|

* Maleficent (2014)
* Cinderella (2015)
* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Aladdin (2019)
* Mulan (2020)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)
* Snow White (2025)
* Moana (2026)

| Sequels|

* Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

|

Television|

* The Little Mermaid (1992–1994)
* Aladdin (1994–1995)
* Sing Me a Story with Belle (1995–1997)
* Tangled: Before Ever After (2017)
* Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017–2020)
* The Little Mermaid Live! (2019)
* Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration (2022)
* Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest (2023)
* Ariel (2024–present)

Albums|

* Disney's Princess Favorites
* Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection
* Disney Princess Tea Party
* Ultimate Disney Princess
* Princess Disneymania

Video games|

* Enchanted Journey
* Magical Jewels
* Enchanting Storybooks
* My Fairytale Adventure

Other Media|

* "If You Can Dream"
* Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party
* Whisker Haven
* Lego Disney

Related|

| Princes|

* The Beast
* Aladdin
* Flynn Rider

|

Media|

* House of Mouse
* Kingdom Hearts
* Once Upon a Time
* Disney Magic Kingdoms
* Sofia the First
* Frozen
* Elena of Avalor
* Elena and the Secret of Avalor
* Descendants
* Enchanted
* Disenchanted
* Ralph Breaks the Internet
* Kilala Princess
* Once Upon a Studio

Other|

* Tinker Bell
* Sleeping Beauty Castle (Disneyland)
* Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland)
* Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Disneyland Paris)
* Enchanted Storybook Castle (Shanghai Disneyland)
* Castle of Magical Dreams (Hong Kong Disneyland)
* Snow White Cafe

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Disney Renaissance

Awards and nominations

Feature films|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Mulan (1998)
* Tarzan (1999)

TV series|

* The Little Mermaid (1992–1994)
* Aladdin (1994–1995)
* The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (1995–1999)
* Hercules (1998–1999)
* The Legend of Tarzan (2001–2003)
* The Lion Guard (2015–2019)

Soundtracks|

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Mulan (1998)
* Tarzan (1999)

Singles|

* "Under the Sea" (1989)
* "Part of Your World" (1989)
* "Kiss the Girl" (1989)
* "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)
* "A Whole New World" (1992)
* "Friend Like Me" (1992)
* "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994)
* "Circle of Life" (1994)
* "Colors of the Wind" (1995)
* "If I Never Knew You" (1995)
* "Someday" (1996)
* "Go the Distance" (1997)
* "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" (1997)
* "Shooting Star (1997 - UK)
* "True to Your Heart" (1998)
* "Reflection" (1998)
* "You'll Be in My Heart" (1999)
* "Strangers Like Me" (1999)
* "Son of Man" (2000)
* "Two Worlds" (2000)

Direct-to-DVD sequels|

* The Return of Jafar (1994)
* Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)
* Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
* Belle's Magical World (1998)
* Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)
* The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
* Belle's Tales of Friendship (1999)
* Hercules: Zero to Hero (1999)
* The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)
* Tarzan & Jane (2002)
* The Lion King 1½ (2004)
* Mulan II (2004)
* Tarzan II (2005)
* The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)

Live-action remakes|

* Beauty and the Beast (2017)
* Aladdin (2019)
* The Lion King (2019)
* Mulan (2020)
* The Little Mermaid (2023)
* Hercules (TBA)

Video games|

* The Little Mermaid (1991)
* Ariel the Little Mermaid (1992)
* The Little Mermaid II: Pinball Frenzy (2000)
* The Little Mermaid Pinball (2005)
* Aladdin (1993; Sega Genesis)
* Aladdin (1993; SNES)
* Aladdin (1994)
* Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge (2001)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games (1996)
* The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure (2000)
* The Lion King 1½ (2003)
* Virtual Safari (2003-2004)
* Beauty and the Beast (1994)
* Beauty and the Beast (1994)
* Disney's Beauty and the Beast: A Board Game Adventure (1999)
* Disney's Beauty and the Beast Magical Ballroom (2000)
* Pocahontas (1996)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy Games (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Mulan (1998)
* Tarzan (1999)
* Tarzan: Untamed (2001)
* Disney's Tarzan: Return to the Jungle (2002)

Characters|

* The Little Mermaid
* Ariel
* Ursula
* Beauty and the Beast
* Belle
* Beast
* Gaston
* Aladdin
* Aladdin
* Princess Jasmine
* Genie
* Jafar
* Iago
* The Lion King
* Simba
* Nala
* Timon and Pumbaa
* Scar
* Mufasa
* Pocahontas
* Claude Frollo
* Hercules
* Megara
* Mulan
* Fa Mulan

Related|

* Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
* Howard (2018)
* Disney Princess (2005–present)
* Disney Villains (1937–present)
* Mickey's House of Villains (2002)
* Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007)
* Sofia the First (2012–2018)
* Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
* Once Upon a Studio (2023)
* Ariel (2024)
* Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Disney theatrical animated features

Walt Disney
Animation Studios|

* Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
* Pinocchio (1940)
* Fantasia (1940)
* Dumbo (1941)
* Bambi (1942)
* Saludos Amigos (1942)
* The Three Caballeros (1944)
* Make Mine Music (1946)
* Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
* Melody Time (1948)
* The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
* Cinderella (1950)
* Alice in Wonderland (1951)
* Peter Pan (1953)
* Lady and the Tramp (1955)
* Sleeping Beauty (1959)
* One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
* The Sword in the Stone (1963)
* The Jungle Book (1967)
* The Aristocats (1970)
* Robin Hood (1973)
* The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
* The Rescuers (1977)
* The Fox and the Hound (1981)
* The Black Cauldron (1985)
* The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
* Oliver & Company (1988)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Mulan (1998)
* Tarzan (1999)
* Fantasia 2000 (1999)
* Dinosaur (2000)
* The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
* Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
* Lilo & Stitch (2002)
* Treasure Planet (2002)
* Brother Bear (2003)
* Home on the Range (2004)
* Chicken Little (2005)
* Meet the Robinsons (2007)
* Bolt (2008)
* The Princess and the Frog (2009)
* Tangled (2010)
* Winnie the Pooh (2011)
* Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
* Frozen (2013)
* Big Hero 6 (2014)
* Zootopia (2016)
* Moana (2016)
* Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
* Frozen 2 (2019)
* Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
* Encanto (2021)
* Strange World (2022)
* Wish (2023)

Upcoming|

* Moana 2 (2024)
* Zootopia 2 (2025)

Pixar Animation Studios|

* Toy Story (1995)
* A Bug's Life (1998)
* Toy Story 2 (1999)
* Monsters, Inc. (2001)
* Finding Nemo (2003)
* The Incredibles (2004)
* Cars (2006)
* Ratatouille (2007)
* WALL-E (2008)
* Up (2009)
* Toy Story 3 (2010)
* Cars 2 (2011)
* Brave (2012)
* Monsters University (2013)
* Inside Out (2015)
* The Good Dinosaur (2015)
* Finding Dory (2016)
* Cars 3 (2017)
* Coco (2017)
* Incredibles 2 (2018)
* Toy Story 4 (2019)
* Onward (2020)
* Soul (2020) IR
* Luca (2021) IR
* Turning Red (2022) IR
* Lightyear (2022)
* Elemental (2023)
* Inside Out 2 (2024)

Upcoming|

* Elio (2025)

Disneytoon Studios|

* DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
* A Goofy Movie (1995)
* Return to Never Land (2002)
* The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
* Piglet's Big Movie (2003)
* Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)
* Bambi II (2006) IR
* Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010) IR
* Secret of the Wings (2012) LR
* Planes (2013)
* The Pirate Fairy (2014) LR
* Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)
* Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast (2015) LR

Disney Television Animation|

* Doug's 1st Movie (1999)
* The Tigger Movie (2000)
* Recess: School's Out (2001)
* Teacher's Pet (2004)
* Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension (2011) IR

Other Disney units|

* The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
* The Wild (2006)
* A Christmas Carol (2009)
* Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
* Mars Needs Moms (2011)
* Frankenweenie (2012)
* Strange Magic (2015)
* The Lion King (2019)
* Spies in Disguise (2019)
* Ron's Gone Wrong (2021)
* The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)

Upcoming|

* Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Live-action films with
non-CGI animation|

* The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
* Victory Through Air Power (1943)
* Song of the South (1946)
* So Dear to My Heart (1948)
* Mary Poppins (1964)
* Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
* Pete's Dragon (1977)
* Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
* James and the Giant Peach (1996)
* The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
* Enchanted (2007)
* Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Related lists|

* Walt Disney Animation Studios short films
* Academy Award Review
* Pixar short films
* Based on fairy tales
* Unproduced films
* Live-action adaptations and remakes
* Based on Theme Parks
* 20th Century Animation

* LR Limited release
* IR International release

* v
* t
* e

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Feature films

| Released|

* Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
* Pinocchio (1940)
* Fantasia (1940)
* Dumbo (1941)
* Bambi (1942)
* Saludos Amigos (1942)
* The Three Caballeros (1944)
* Make Mine Music (1946)
* Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
* Melody Time (1948)
* The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
* Cinderella (1950)
* Alice in Wonderland (1951)
* Peter Pan (1953)
* Lady and the Tramp (1955)
* Sleeping Beauty (1959)
* One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
* The Sword in the Stone (1963)
* The Jungle Book (1967)
* The Aristocats (1970)
* Robin Hood (1973)
* The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
* The Rescuers (1977)
* The Fox and the Hound (1981)
* The Black Cauldron (1985)
* The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
* Oliver & Company (1988)
* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Pocahontas (1995)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
* Hercules (1997)
* Mulan (1998)
* Tarzan (1999)
* Fantasia 2000 (1999)
* Dinosaur (2000)
* The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
* Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
* Lilo & Stitch (2002)
* Treasure Planet (2002)
* Brother Bear (2003)
* Home on the Range (2004)
* Chicken Little (2005)
* Meet the Robinsons (2007)
* Bolt (2008)
* The Princess and the Frog (2009)
* Tangled (2010)
* Winnie the Pooh (2011)
* Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
* Frozen (2013)
* Big Hero 6 (2014)
* Zootopia (2016)
* Moana (2016)
* Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
* Frozen 2 (2019)
* Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
* Encanto (2021)
* Strange World (2022)
* Wish (2023)

|

Upcoming|

* Moana 2 (2024)
* Zootopia 2 (2025)

Cancelled|

* My Peoples

Associated
productions|

* The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
* Victory Through Air Power (1943)
* Song of the South (1946)
* So Dear to My Heart (1948)
* Mary Poppins (1964)
* Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
* Pete's Dragon (1977)
* Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Television productions

| TV specials|

* Prep & Landing (2009)
* Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)

|

TV series|

* Baymax! (2022)
* Zootopia+ (2022)
* Iwájú (2024)

People

| Executives|

* Jared Bush
* Edwin Catmull
* Roy Conli
* Roy E. Disney
* Walt Disney
* Don Hahn
* Jeffrey Katzenberg
* John Lasseter
* Jennifer Lee
* Peter Schneider
* Thomas Schumacher
* David Stainton
* Clark Spencer

|

Disney Legends
animators|

| Disney's Nine Old Men|

* Les Clark
* Marc Davis
* Ollie Johnston
* Milt Kahl
* Ward Kimball
* Eric Larson
* John Lounsbery
* Wolfgang Reitherman
* Frank Thomas

|

* James Algar
* Ken Anderson
* Xavier Atencio
* Art Babbitt
* Grace Bailey
* Carl Barks
* Mary Blair
* Joyce Carlson
* Marge Champion
* Claude Coats
* Don DaGradi
* Virginia Davis
* Andreas Deja
* Norm Ferguson
* Eyvind Earle
* Clyde Geronimi
* Manuel Gonzales
* Floyd Gottfredson
* Yale Gracey
* Joe Grant
* David Hand
* Jack Hannah
* John Hench
* Dick Huemer
* Ub Iwerks
* Wilfred Jackson
* Steve Jobs
* Bill Justice
* Glen Keane
* Hamilton Luske
* Burny Mattinson
* Fred Moore
* Floyd Norman
* Bill Peet
* Walter Peregoy
* Joe Ranft
* Retta Scott
* Ben Sharpsteen
* Mel Shaw
* Ruthie Tompson
* Roy Williams
* Tyrus Wong

Related topics

| History|

* Disney animators' strike
* 1982 animators' strike
* Disney Renaissance

|

Methods and
technologies|

* Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life
* Twelve basic principles of animation
* Computer Animation Production System

Documentaries|

* Frank and Ollie (1995)
* The Sweatbox (2002)
* Dream On Silly Dreamer (2005)
* Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
* Walt & El Grupo (2009)

Miscellaneous|

* Alice Comedies
* Laugh-O-Gram Studio
* List of Walt Disney Animation Studios short films
* Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
* Mickey Mouse
* Silly Symphonies
* Donald Duck
* Pluto
* Goofy
* Academy Award Review
* Disneytoon Studios
* List of Disney theatrical animated features
* unproduced
* live-action adaptations
* List of Disney animated films based on fairy tales

* v
* t
* e

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film

* The Little Mermaid (1989)
* The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
* Beauty and the Beast (1991)
* Aladdin (1992)
* Mighty River (1993)
* The Lion King (1994)
* Toy Story (1995)
* A Close Shave / Creature Comforts / A Grand Day Out / The Wrong Trousers (1996)
* Hercules / The Spirit of Christmas (1997)
* A Bug's Life (1998)
* The Iron Giant (1999)
* Chicken Run (2000)
* Shrek (2001)
* Spirited Away (2002)
* The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
* The Incredibles (2004)
* Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
* Happy Feet (2006)
* Persepolis / Ratatouille (2007)
* Waltz with Bashir (2008)
* Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
* Toy Story 3 (2010)
* Rango (2011)
* Frankenweenie (2012)
* Ernest & Celestine (2013)
* The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2014)
* Anomalisa (2015)
* Your Name (2016)
* The Breadwinner (2017)
* Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
* I Lost My Body (2019)
* Wolfwalkers (2020)
* Flee (2021)
* Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
* The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Portals:

* Disney
* Film
* 1980s
* Animation
* Cartoon
* United States

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany

Other|

* MusicBrainz work

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