On Friday, Disney’s new iteration of The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey as Ariel, will eventually debut in UK theatres.
The live-action adaptation is the most recent in a long line of’reimagining’ endeavours by Disney, which have included updated versions of Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Mulan, and many others.
The 2023 version of The Little Mermaid is a reimagining of the 1989 animated classic, which is widely regarded as the beginning of the popular Disney Renaissance era, during which the company produced success after hit, including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy portray Prince Eric, King Triton, and the sea sorceress Ursula, respectively, in a retelling of a story written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837.
A tribute to Howard Ashman is shown before the closing credits of the new film, but who is he and why is the film dedicated to him?
Who was Howard Ashman?
American playwright, lyricist, and director Howard Ashman was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950.
Before becoming the artistic director of the WPA Theatre, he produced performances in New York City during the 1970s.
Ashman and Alan Menken first collaborated on 1979’s Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater after meeting at a workshop.
In 1982, the off-off-Broadway premiere of their classic horror comedy rock musical Little Shop of Horrors, for which Ashman wrote the book and lyrics and directed, and for which Menken composed the music, marked their first major triumph together.
Songs include Suddenly, Seymour and Skid Row (Downtown), and it would later disrupt Broadway, earning Ashman a Grammy nomination and a Drama Desk Award for his lyrics.
Ashman and Menken co-wrote the screenplay and two new compositions for the 1986 film adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors; Mean Green Mother from Outer Space earned them their first Oscar nomination.
Ashman’s first project for Disney was Oliver & Company, for which he co-wrote Once Upon a Time in New York City with Barry Mann for Huey Lewis to perform.
It was later nominated for the Golden Globe Award for best song.
Ashman was informed of several other projects while working at Disney, including The Little Mermaid, which would be Disney’s first fairy tale film in thirty years (since Sleeping Beauty).
He and Menken agreed to compose the film’s music.
Why is the 2023 live action version of The Little Mermaid dedicated to him?
Ashman’s 1989 contributions to The Little Mermaid were Part of Your World, Under the Sea, Part of Your World, and Kiss the Girl.
The film was a huge success for Disney, and Menken and Ashman received two Golden Globe nominations and three Academy Award nominations, earning one for best original song for “Under the Sea” and Menken also won best score.
Their collaboration on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, the latter of which was a direct result of Ashman’s proposal to the studio for a musical adaptation of the tale, earned them continued acclaim.
He was also involved in recommending Broadway talent, such as Jodi Benson, for voice roles in the films.
The title track, Be Our Guest, and Belle were all nominated for an Academy Award for best composition for Beauty and the Beast, but only the title track won.
The following year, Friend Like Me from Aladdin was nominated, and Ashman and Menken also co-wrote Arabian Nights and Prince Ali.
Tragically, while working on The Little Mermaid in 1988, Ashman was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
After completing his lyrics, he continued to compose melodies and lived long enough to attend a private screening of Beauty and the Beast.
Ashman passed away in March 1991, and Sir Tim Rice was recruited to complete the lyrics for the compositions One Jump Ahead and A Whole New World from Aladdin.
The release of Beauty and the Beast in November of that year was a dedication to Ashman.
In a reversal of fate, however, it was revealed that the documentary would be removed from the streaming service on Friday, May 26 as a result of Disney’s draconian budget cutbacks.
That is the same date as the release of The Little Mermaid, and just before Pride month.
Following a fan backlash, a Disney rep confirmed to Deadline that the documentary will remain on Disney Plus.
The Little Mermaid is released in UK cinemas on May 26. Howard is available to watch on Disney Plus now.