"The Little Mermaid" live-action movie has not been given the green light yet, but it may have gained a new director. In a post via Twitter, The Wrap announced that newbie director Rebecca Thomas is currently in early talks to helm The Little Mermaid, the live-action movie which will star Chloë Grace Moretz as Ariel, the titular mermaid. According to The Wrap, after meeting with Moretz this week, Thomas immediately went into talks with the studio bosses.
The thirty-one year-old director debuted with the indie feature film, "Electrick Children", in 2012. The film starred Billy Zane, Rory Culkin, Julia Garner, and Liam Aiken. According to Cinema Blend, she is currently attached to direct the movie adaptation of John Green's novel, "Looking for Alaska", by Paramount Pictures. The movie also hasn't been green lighted yet but is pushing through with pre-production. Thomas was eyed for the director's chair only recently, six months after Sofia Coppola ("Marie Antoinette", "Lost in Translation", "The Virgin Suicides") left the project. Joe Wright ("Anna Karenina", "Atonement", "Pride and Prejudice") was initially the project's director, but left to helm the fantasy adventure film, Pan. Coppola replaced Wright and was attached to direct the project for over a year before abandoning it back in June, citing "creative differences". She eventually moved on to direct the Christmas musical comedy film, "A Very Murray Christmas".
In a recent interview with The Wrap, Coppola shared that she and the studio didn't see eye to eye when it came to creative execution. Ultimately, she decided to work on a project of a smaller scale, which is just as she prefers.
The Little Mermaid is a joint production by Universal Pictures and Working Title Films. Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan will produce under Working Title. Universal Studios Executive VP Erik Baiers and Director of Development Chloe Yellin will oversee the project. Liza Chasin and Amelia Granger are onboard as executive producers. The screenplay is by British screenwriter, director, and producer, Richard Curtis, who also penned successful films like "Notting Hill", "Bridget Jones's Diary", and "War Horse".
The Little Mermaid is just one in a long list of classic Disney animated films waiting to be adapted into a live-action version. The story is based on Hans Christian Andersen's tragic tale of a young mermaid who falls in love with a prince whom she saves from drowning. Whether or not the live-action version will feature the original tragic tale or stick to the happy ending Disney animated film version remains to be seen.
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