When you think about the best movies ever put to screen from Disney, The Little Mermaid always has to be in the conversation. Now, fans of the Disney classic are in for a huge treat as a live-action remake is coming, and it’s already making waves.
The new movie stars Halle Bailey in the leading role as Ariel, alongside Melissa McCarthy as the villainous Urusla and Jonah Hauer‑King as Prince Eric. Early reactions have been overwhelming in praise for the performances and magic of The Little Mermaid, and we think it could be one of the best Disney movies of recent years.
A huge part of this is thanks to the soaring soundtrack for the movie. Features entirely original songs in addition to new renditions of old classics, the soundtrack is created from a collaboration from Lin-Manuel Miranda and returning Disney legend Alan Menken.
We sat down to speak with Menken about putting together the music for The Little Mermaid remake, and he discussed a new song for King Triton which was sadly cut.
“We wrote a song for King Triton,” says Menken, “when nobody can find Ariel. And he’s just like, ‘You’ve got to find her.’ And this one was called ‘Impossible Child’ because he’s like, ‘You are an impossible child.’ And at the end, he says, ‘What have I done?’”
Menken continued, “This was like monologue, as a song. And it was recorded with a full orchestra, sung, and filmed, so people will be able to see that. It was a tough call, but at the end of the day, it just took up a little more space than we wanted to give it at that particular scene. So Rob Marshall [director] realized that having the scene with an underscore would work better.”
Menken’s reveal is tantalizing, and we certainly hope King Triton’s song gets released for audiences at a late date even if it won’t be in the movie.
For more Disney magic, check out our picks for the best fantasy movies and take a look at the 10 things we learned from The Little Mermaid press conference. Or, take a look at our choices for the best musicals.