The Little Mermaid (1989 film)

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The Little Mermaid

Original theatrical release poster by John Alvin

Directed by
Ron Clements

John Musker

Produced by
John Musker

Howard Ashman

Written by
Ron Clements

John Musker

Based on The Little Mermaid

by Hans Christian Andersen

Starring
Jodi Benson

Christopher Daniel Barnes

Pat Carroll

Paddi Edwards

Buddy Hackett

Jason Marin

Kenneth Mars
 Samuel E. Wright

Music by Alan Menken

Edited by Mark Hester

Production
companies Walt Disney Pictures

Walt Disney Feature Animation

Silver Screen Partners IV

Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures

Release date
November 17, 1989

Running time 83 minutes[1]

Country United States

Language English

Budget $40 million[2]

Box office $233 million[3]

The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt
Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Pictures. The 28th Disney animated feature film and first
film in the The Little Mermaid franchise, the film is loosely based on the Danish fairy tale of the same
name by Hans Christian Andersen. The film tells the story of a mermaid princess named Ariel who
dreams of becoming human, after falling in love with a human prince named Eric. Written and
directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, with music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (who
also served as co-producer alongside John Musker), and art direction by Michael Peraza Jr. and
Donald A. Towns, the film features the voices of Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat
Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Buddy Hackett, and René Auberjonois.
The Little Mermaid was released to theaters on November 17, 1989 to critical acclaim, garnering $84
million at the domestic box office during its initial release, [4] and $233 million in total lifetime gross
worldwide.[3] After the success of the 1988 Disney/Amblin film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little
Mermaid is given credit for breathing life back into the art of Disney animated feature films after a
string of critical or commercial failures produced by Disney that dated back to the early 1970s. It also
marked the start of the era known as the Disney Renaissance.[5] The film won two Academy Awards
for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“Under the Sea”).
A stage adaptation of the film with a book by Doug Wright[6] and additional songs by Alan
Menken and new lyricist Glenn Slateropened in Denver in July 2007 and began performances
on Broadway January 10, 2008[7][8] starring Sierra Boggess.[9][10][11]
In May 2016, Disney announced that a live-action adaptation directed by Rob Marshall is currently in
development