Hindsight is 20/20, but perhaps we were a bit too greedy about getting a closer look at the upcoming Little Mermaid film—the latest in a long, questionable line of Disney’s insistence on remaking beloved, animated classics in live-action. Of course, we’re not even sure if more time could have saved us from the grimace-inducing trailer we got during the 95th Academy Awards.
As much as it pained us to watch it, it’s perhaps even more painful to admit that the new trailer for The Little Mermaid could be a not-so-little omen for what’s in store come May. Indeed, Halle Berry’s ever-impressive screen presence wasn’t enough to distract from the crimes that were committed against poor Flounder and Scuttle in particular, who will no doubt be popping up in more than a few nightmares over the next few sleeps.
Elsewhere, Disney simply seemed dead set on dropping the ball at every turn; the show-stealing Melissa McCarthy, who’s anticipated to be the surefire highlight of the film, had hardly any presence in the trailer. At the very least, we could have gotten a cheeky soundbite of a modern-day rendition of “Under the Sea,” but apparently there’s no room for alleviation here.
We’re hoping against hope that this isn’t indicative of what the final product will end up being, but Disney’s recent silence on the matter coupled with the single most underwhelming trailer they could have possibly put out isn’t inspiring much hope at the moment.
The Little Mermaid will release to theaters on May 26.