It was reported yesterday that Harry Styles had been officially cast as Prince Eric for Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid, but it seems that the news is premature. As it turns out, Styles has turned down the part, and the movie is yet to cast Ariel's love interest.
According to The Wrap, the former One Direction star was a "fan of the project but respectfully declined." We don't know who else is on the short list to play Prince Eric, but for now the search is still on.
What's funny is, Beauty and the Beast's Josh Gad has submitted himself for consideration:
So far, The Little Mermaid only has three main cast members confirmed—Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle the Seagull. Rumor has it that Javier Bardem (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) is in talks to play King Triton, and it's also said that Disney is looking at Melissa McCarthy to play the sea witch Ursula.
With the film casting a black Ariel, some fans online were hoping that Disney actually pushes through and casts a drag queen as Ursula, seeing as the character design was based off of 70s queen Divine.
Though it seems that things are moving slow for The Little Mermaid, some believe that Disney is holding off on news so they can announce it during the D23 Expo. That's just speculation of the fans' part, but it does seem likely now that you think about it.
No release date has been set for The Little Mermaid.
See Also: The Little Mermaid Live-Action Star Halle Bailey Finally Breaks Silence
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