First Look at Melissa McCarthy's Ursula In Disney's Little Mermaid Remake

By Klein Felt Posted:
Melissa McCarthy, Ursula

The latest sneak peek at Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake revealed a first look at Melissa McCarthy's Ursula. 

Walt Disney Pictures' latest reimagining of an animated classic is mere months away, with actress Halle Bailey set to take on the iconic role of Ariel. 

Not much has been seen from the upcoming blockbuster, though. Aside from a small teaser released during D23 2022, no good looks at the movie have been released publicly. 

More than three years after she was revealed to be playing the film's villain, audiences still do not have a solid look at Melissa McCarthy's Disney character. 

A New Little Mermaid Tease

A new teaser for the live-action The Little Mermaid was revealed, showing the first glimpse at Melissa McCarthy's villain in the film. 

Ursula
Walt Disney Pictures

McCarthy will take on the classic Disney villain Ursula the Sea Witch, seen at the end of the teaser soundtracked by her iconic evil laugh. 

Ursula Classic
Walt Disney Animation

While not a full look at McCarthy's villain, it does look like Disney is remaining fairly faithful to Ursula's original look. The 52-year-old actress is sporting the classic purple pigment, gaudy eye shadow, and thick penciled brows of the original character, with her slimy, black tentacle slithering across her face. 

The full teaser can be seen below, with McCarthy's Ursula appearing as a final tease at the :25 mark:

Will Melissa McCarthy's Ursula Be a Hit?

After years of waiting and wondering if Melissa McCarthy would be able to pull off Ursula, it seems like she is well on her way. 

Her boisterous personality (which is usually used for laughs) feels like it will translate perfectly to the Little Mermaid villain. Her laugh at the tail-end of this trailer captures that theatrical, over-dramatic, and unquestionable evil essence that the character is known for. 

And if this tiny snippet is not enough to win fans over, McCarthy has been receiving rave reviews out of test screens for The Little Mermaid

Recent reports called McCarthy's villain "the standout" of the film and "surprisingly good." The superlative "'best Disney remake" has even been thrown around about the film as a whole. 

And with Halle Bailey having impressed in her brief moments shown as Ariel, it seems like this upcoming live-action remake has the potential of being something special. 

The Little Mermaid comes to theaters on May 26.

- About The Author: Klein Felt
Klein Felt is a Senior Editor at The Direct. Joining the website back in 2020, he helped jumpstart video game content on The Direct. Klein plays a vital role as a part of the site's content team, demonstrating expertise in all things PlayStation, Marvel, and the greater entertainment industry.