Much of the focus on Disney’s promotion of their upcoming “Little Mermaid” remake is based around Halle Bailey’s take on Ariel. But the studio’s CinemaCon presentation of the film was dedicated to Ursula, as Melissa McCarthy stopped by in Las Vegas to unveil her performance as the dreaded Sea Witch.
“Ursula is just kind of everything. She’s dishy, she’s a conniving broad. Maybe that’s why I can relate,” McCarthy joked.
And what better way to introduce McCarthy’s Ursula than to show off her famous villain song? The remake shows off McCarthy swimming among shadows and blazing hot vents as she belts out “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” Ursula’s anthem of temptation to trick Ariel into a deal to give up her mermaid body and her voice to become a human for three days and win the heart of Prince Eric.
“The Little Mermaid” is the last of the major Disney Renaissance films to get the remake treatment. In 2017, “Beauty and the Beast” grossed $1.26 billion worldwide, and two years later, “The Lion King” remake grossed $1.66 billion worldwide to become the highest grossing animated film in box office history, a record once held by the original 1994 version of the film.
The film hits theaters on Memorial Day weekend.
