The full title of this article by Laura Zornosa (TIME) is “10 Ways the New Little Mermaid Is Different from the Original Animated Movie.” But first, here is an excerpt from Mae Abdulaki’s (Screen Rant) “Where The Little Mermaid 2023 Is Set,” which describes the most important change, in my view: the setting!

Here, Mae Abdulaki explains, “Why The Little Mermaid‘s Caribbean Setting Makes Sense For The Remake”: The Little Mermaid’s Caribbean setting is a refreshing change, and one that makes sense for the live-action film, especially when considering the famously Jamaican-accented Sebastian (Daveed Diggs gives the crustacean more of a Trinidadian accent). What’s more, the vibe and music of the original animation — notably in the memorable hits “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl — already had a Caribbean feel to them. And since the movie’s cast is so diverse, a fictitious Caribbean setting works all the more. Moving The Little Mermaid live-action to the actual Caribbean, albeit a fictional one, fits into what has already been established in the story and adds to it, enhancing it and fleshing it out further. [. . .]

Regarding other differences, Laura Zornosa (TIME) says:

Thirty-four years ago, Disney released what would go on to become an American classic: the animated Little Mermaid, its titular role voiced by Jodi Benson. On Friday, the half live action, half CGI Little Mermaid remake (now starring Halle Bailey) opened in theaters—though critics seem to think that it hasn’t been properly updated for the new century, or changed enough to warrant a reboot.

Most of the plot remains the same: a curious, adventurous mermaid princess wants nothing more than to become human and explore the world above. But some mostly minor tweaks do remain: the villain becomes an octopus rather than a squid, a new royal character enters the picture, and a few new musical numbers crop up. Read on for 10 tweaks to the watery tale.

There are three new songs

Alan Menken, 73—one half of the duo that created the iconic original Little Mermaid soundtrack—returned to the live-action production to helm its score. In 1989, Menken won the Best Original Score Oscar for The Little Mermaid and the Best Song Oscar for “Under the Sea,” the latter shared with lyricist Howard Ashman. The live-action score includes three new songs—“For the First Time,” “Wild Uncharted Waters,” and “Scuttlebutt”—for which Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote lyrics. [. . .]

Scuttle is a different species

Scuttle (Awkwafina)—one of Ariel’s trio of loyal friends, alongside Sebastian the crab and Flounder the fish—is no longer a seagull. Now, the dimwitted but lovable character has become a northern gannet, a type of diving bird that can stay underwater for up to half a minute while hunting and can dive as deep as 70 feet. For plot purposes, this allows Scuttle to visit Ariel underwater (and explain what, exactly, a dinglehopper is), rather than having Ariel visit the forbidden surface. [. . .]

Sebastian’s profession

Sebastian (full name Horatio Felonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian) is introduced in the 1989 movie as the “distinguished court composer” of King Triton’s kingdom. (He then proceeds to conduct a concert showcasing the talents of King Triton’s daughters, minus the errant Ariel.) In the new film, however, Sebastian seems to be less musically inclined—although he still spearheads a technicolor production of “Under the Sea”—and more focused on his role as the king’s trusted servant. We also lose a fun musical standoff between Sebastian and a French chef, employed by Prince Eric’s palace, who wants to serve him up for dinner—presumably because of its rather violent nature. [. . .]

Prince Eric’s backstory

One of the most significant overhauls to the plot of the story is embodied by Prince Eric’s (Jonah Hauer-King) new number, “Wild Uncharted Waters.” The prince, newly fascinated with exploring the outside world beyond the borders of his kingdom—not unlike Ariel—is fixated on sailing the “wild uncharted waters/ Beyond where man can see/ When your eyes outshine the horizon line.”

Director Rob Marshall, producer John DeLuca, and screenwriter David Magee altered the storyline to give Eric and Ariel more things in common: Now, they share a burning curiosity and desire to break out of their respective bubbles. In this iteration, Eric was also washed ashore in a shipwreck as a baby and adopted by his parents, the king and queen. “I wasn’t born to all this,” he tells Ariel of his kingdom. “And it all makes me feel a little uneasy.” [. . .]

An added layer to Ursula’s story

Under the sea, another royal got a new relative. Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), who had previously simply been banished from the kingdom, is now King Triton’s (Javier Bardem) estranged sister. That adds an extra layer of malevolence to her plot to ensnare Ariel, given that the princess is now her niece. And as the wicked cherry on top, the sea witch adds a little something extra to her spell this time: She ensures that Ariel won’t remember the conditions she needs to meet to remain in the human world. [. . .]

For full articles, see https://screenrant.com/the-little-mermaid-2023-setting-location/ and https://time.com/6283113/the-little-mermaid-disney-live-action-original-differences/?