History Film / TheLittleMermaid2023

''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIIArielsBeginning''.

** Triton's hatred for humans in the original film was because they hunt fish. The remake states it's because they killed his wife. This is something that originated from the prequel film' ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIIArielsBeginning'' where it's revealed what happened to Ariel's mother.

** Prince Eric has been generously fleshed out here. He's given a new backstory (being adopted into royalty instead of born), also has a protective parent to counterpart Ariel's, and is characterized as an explorer who collects trinkets from the sea, mirroring Ariel and her collection of human artifacts. He even has his own IWantSong, "Wild Uncharted Waters".

* ColorblindCasting: This applies to all characters in the movie but is particularly prevalent with the mermaids. Eric, who is white, being the son of Queen Selina, who is black, is given the context of Eric being adopted, but the daughters of Triton, played by actresses of different colors and ethnicities, are implied to all be related by blood and have the same mother and father. According to Javier Bardem, this is because they were conceived in different oceans and during the act of reproduction the essence of each sea was embodied within them (a concept that was invented by Rob Marshall).

** In the original, the daughters of Triton are named "Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, and Alana". Here they have been renamed Mala, Karina, Perla, Indira, Caspia, and Tameka.

* ColorblindCasting: This applies to all characters in the movie but is particularly prevalent with the mermaids. Eric, who is white, being the son of Queen Selina, who is black, is given the context of Eric being adopted, but the daughters of Triton, played by actresses of different colors and ethnicities, are implied to all be related by blood and have the same mother and father.

* SettingUpdate: The original fairy tale mentions no names, but is typically presumed to be set in Italy or a Mediterranean country, due to the descriptions (palm and orange trees, vineyards, tall mountains, and crystal clear water). According to WordOfGod, in the 1989 film Atlantica was in the Mediterranean and Eric's kingdom was in Italy. This inspired by elements of the Mediterranean and Italy, while Atlantica has elements of the Caribbean. The live action film has an explicit Caribbean setting for Eric's kingdom. [[invoked]]

* SettingUpdate: The original fairy tale mentions no names, but is typically presumed to be set in Italy or a Mediterranean country, due to the descriptions (palm and orange trees, vineyards, tall mountains, and crystal clear water). According to WordOfGod, in the 1989 film Atlantica was in the Mediterranean while Eric's kingdom was in Italy. This inspired by elements of the Mediterranean and Italy, while Atlantica has elements of the Caribbean. The live action film has an explicit Caribbean setting for Eric's kingdom.

* TakeThatCritics: The finale ''emphasizes'' the diversity of Triton's entire kingdom, as Mermaids and Mermen of Asian, Hisapnic, Indian, White and Black ethnicity are ''visibly'' present number among the crowd happy bidding the newlywed Ariel and Eric farewell. A classy response to the anger of online bullies who lost their collective minds simply because mermaids, a ''fictional fairytale'' race, no longer have to ''solely'' confirm to outdated ideals of Aryan beauty and purity in the 21st century.

* TakeThatCritics: The finale ''emphasizes'' the diversity of Triton's entire kingdom, as Hispanic, with Mermaids and Mermen of Asian, Indian, White and Black ethnicity are ''visibly'' present number among the crowd happy bidding the newlywed Ariel and Eric farewell. A classy response to the anger of online-bigots who lost their minds simply because mermaids, a ''fictional fairytale'' race, no longer have to ''solely'' confirm to outdated ideals of Aryan beauty and purity in the 21st century.

* TakeThatCritics: The finale ''emphasizes'' the diversity of Triton's entire kingdom, as Hispanic, with Mermaids and Mermen of Asian, Indian, White and Black ethnicity ''visibly'' present number among the crowd happy bidding the newlywed Ariel and Eric farewell. A classy response to the anger of online-bigots who lost their minds simply because mermaids, a ''fictional fairytale'' race, no longer have to ''solely'' confirm to outdated ideals of Aryan beauty and purity in the 21st century.

* TakeThatCritics: The finale ''emphasizes'' the diversity of Triton's entire kingdom, as Hispanic, with Mermaids and Mermen of Asian, Indian, White and Black ethnicity ''visibly'' present number among the crowd happy bidding the newlywed Ariel and Eric farewell. A classy response to the InternetBackdraft of bigots who lost their minds simply because mermaids, a ''fictional fairytale'' race, no longer have to ''solely'' confirm to outdated ideals of Aryan beauty and purity in the 21st century.

** Eric has one in terms of HeroicWillpower. [[spoiler:When Vanessa enthralls Eric in the original movie, he becomes a monotone zombie who does whatever she tells him and doesn't react to his surroundings when not under instructions. Here, while he cannot go against her, he seems dazed and confused rather than robotic, feels something wrong the entire time and keeps trying to look for Ariel instead of forgetting about her, in an example of FightingFromTheInside]].