Alan Menken: Last News

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Prince Eric will not be forcing himself on Ariel through song in Disney’s upcoming live-action “The Little Mermaid,” directed by Rob Marshall. Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who wrote the music for the 1989 animated movie, returned to work on the 2023 live-action remake and updated some of the song lyrics so they wouldn’t be outdated when it comes to consensual relationships. “There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” Menken recently told Vanity Fair. “We have some revisions in ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ regarding lines that might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn, even though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel to give up her voice.”

upcoming live-action remake to emphasize consent and female empowerment. In an interview published Tuesday, Vanity Fair asked Alan Menken, the 73-year-old prolific Disney composer, if any changes needed to be made to the music from the 1989 animated flick.

The live-action Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King will have some of the songs updated to modern times, composer Alan Menken recently shared.

Alan Menken, who composed Disney’s most recognizable scores and songs, really enjoyed collaborating with Lin-Manuel Miranda on the live-action version of The Little Mermaid.

forever for the live action version of to hit our screens.  was first announced as Ariel in July 2019, but we didn’t get our first of the Disney adaptation until September last year. Luckily, we only have mere weeks to wait now as the film is slated for a May 26 release date, and we’re starting to find out exactly what changes we can expect to see on the big screen—including lyric changes to include consent.In a recent interview with , the film’s composer Alan Menken revealed that there would be tweaks to the lyrics of some of our favorite songs, including “Kiss the Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” “There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” Menken said. We assume the lyrics he is talking about include the chorus which goes: “Yes, you want her / Look at her, you know you do / Possible she wants you too / There is one way to ask her / It don't take a word / Not a single word / Go on and kiss the girl.”These lyrics suggest that Prince Eric doesn’t need Ariel’s verbal consent to kiss her, which of course he does, but there’s the slight issue of the fact that she cannot speak. “We have some revisions in ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ regarding lines that might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn,” Menken added.

Julia MacCary editor In the new “The Little Mermaid” trailer, Disney brings viewers “under the sea” to see the beloved characters’ world in all its stunning live-action and VFX glory. Directed by Rob Marshall, the live-action musical brings to life the 1989 animated film with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel. The soundtrack is created by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken (who wrote the score for the 1989 “Little Mermaid” film) and will feature classics from the original movie in addition to four original songs. “The Little Mermaid” features Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, Jacob Tremblay voicing Flounder, Daveed Diggs voicing Sebastian and Awkwafina voicing Scuttle.

Katie Reul editor Disney has unveiled a new teaser for its live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” beckoning viewers to become part of Ariel’s world. The upcoming musical, directed by Rob Marshall, reimagines the original 1989 animated film with live actors. The new adaptation will once again see the mermaid Ariel fall for a human prince who lives above the water, spurring a devilish plot from the nefarious Ursula. Halle Bailey stars as Ariel, alongside Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder and Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian. The trailer gives a first look at Ursula and Prince Eric.

Enchanted flipped Disney’s iconic fairy tale script on its head.In the film, would-be princess Giselle, played by a wide-eyed Amy Adams in a star-making role, is thrust from the animated fantasy land of Andalasia to real-world New York City—complete with muggings and cockroaches—by an evil queen desperate to keep her throne. As the effervescent maiden awaits her prince’s rescue (and sings a few catchy Alan Menken-Stephen Schwartz songs in the interim), she’s aided by a cynical-yet-charming lawyer named Robert (Patrick Dempsey).

The success of Hocus Pocus 2 as the most watched Disney+ movie of all-time with a first weekend of 2.7 billion views viewed spurred many to question whether the sequel to the near 30 year old movie should have gone theatrical, especially during a dry spell at the fall box office when theaters were desperate for it.

Fans remember legendary Hollywood icon Angela Lansbury in her magical role as Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast." In a captivating video featured on the Disney+ original documentary "Howard," the talented singer and actress is seen stepping into a recording booth to work on the classic song "Be Our Guest."Lansbury is joined by late actor Jerry Orbach, who voiced Lumiere the candlestick in "Beauty and the Beast," in the dynamic performance.

After two years of online productions, suddenly the Monklands Light Opera will be gnashing their talented teeth on stage once again with their take on classic musical Little Shop of Horrors .

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” Lin-Manuel Miranda has a message to the trolls who have targeted their hate at Halle Bailey, star of the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” — watch Brandy in “Cinderella.” “I’m old enough to remember that being a game changer for my generation,” Miranda told me during a Zoom chat from the L’Attitude conference in San Diego, where he was making an appearance with American Express to support Latino small business owners. “And Rob Marshall was the choreographer on that and is now the director of the movie. I’m really thrilled by that symmetry.” Besides, Miranda thinks the positivity and excitement around the new film far outweigh the negativity. Just take a look at the sneak peek of Bailey singing a snippet of “Part of Your World,” which racked up 104 million global views within days of its debut at the D23 Expo. “I’m not interested in giving them any oxygen because I know the lives that are going to be changed. Halle is perfect for the part,” said the Tony winner, who wrote four songs for the movie with composer Alan Menken. “She is going to blow them away. If that’s the thing that makes you mad, then stay mad. But examine your choices.”

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Martin Short and Shania Twain are in final talks to join ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast” special. Sources tell Variety that Short would play Lumière while Twain will take on the role of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.” The news comes just days after Variety exclusively reported that David Alan Grier will play the role of Cogsworth in the production. Previously announced cast members include Oscar winner H.E.R. as Belle, Grammy winner Josh Groban as Beast and Joshua Henry as Gaston. EGOT legend Rita Moreno will serve as the show’s narrator in the live-action/animated hybrid production.

The Little Mermaid has been unveiled.The teaser was premiered at Disney’s D23 Expo, which is currently taking place in Anaheim, California today (September 9).The Little Mermaid will see singer Halle Bailey of duo Chloe X Halle take on the lead role of Ariel. The one-minute-23-second-long teaser gives a first look at her in the part, featuring the actor swimming through the ocean with a shiny blue tail.Bailey also can be heard singing a part of ‘Part Of Your World’ in the teaser.

The first trailer for Disenchanted is finally here!

Wilson Chapman editor Get ready for Halle Bailey to be part of your world. The first footage of the highly anticipated “Little Mermaid” live-action remake has been unveiled at Disney’s D23 expo, revealing the acclaimed R&B star and actor in the iconic role of mermaid princess Ariel. Director Rob Marshall, of “Chicago” fame, celebrated the fact that this was a live action musical. Bringing up his Oscar-winning movie from the past “When we started this journey it was very important to honor the original” but also reimagine and “bring some depth” to the new film Marshall explained. The director also asked “Little Mermaid” longtime Disney alum and Alan Menken to link up with the award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda to come up with four new songs. “They’d never collaborated together before, and it’s magical…. We still retain the beauty of the original score by the late great Howard Ashman.”

Eminem could be the next artist to achieve an EGOT status following his win at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Slim Shady became an Emmy award winner when the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show won for Outstanding Variety Special.

Ron Logan, a Disney Legend who as EVP and executive producer for Walt Disney Entertainment transformed live entertainment in its parks and helped bring Beauty and the Beast to Broadway, died August 30. He was 84.

Jon Burlingame editorMike Lang, one of the preeminent pianists in Hollywood history, died of lung cancer Friday morning at his home in Studio City. He was 80.Lang played piano (or organ, harpsichord or celeste) on an estimated 2,000 film and TV scores dating back to the mid-1960s, including scores by virtually every great film composer of the past 50 years: John Williams (“Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Catch Me If You Can”), Jerry Goldsmith (“Gremlins,” “The Russia House”), John Barry (“Body Heat,” “The Specialist”), Henry Mancini (“10”), Alex North (“The Shoes of the Fisherman”), Elmer Bernstein (“The Rainmaker”), Miklós Rózsa (“Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid”) and many others.Composer Lalo Schifrin (“Mission: Impossible”) was among Lang’s earliest champions in Hollywood, adding Lang’s piano to what eventually became the Grammy-winning Paul Horn album “Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts” in 1965.

Vernon Kay shares loved up holiday snap with Tess Daly[LATEST]Kimberley Walsh on why she avoids eye contact with Gethin Jones[EXCLUSIVE]Britney Spears goes topless as she puts on sultry display[PICTURES]She also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella with Lesley Ann Warren.The performer went on to win a Grammy award in 1980 for the recording of her one woman show Gertrude Stein.Her most memorable role to date thanks to Disney's The Little Mermaid, which came out in 1989.She was not the first choice of directors Ron Clements and John Musker or the musical team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who reportedly wanted Joan Collins or Bea Arthur to voice the sea witch.Ms Carroll often said playing Ursula was one of her favourite roles to date.She said she saw her as an "Ex-Shakespearean actress who now sold cars"."She's a mean old thing! I think people are fascinated by mean characters," the voiceover star said in an interview."There's a fatal kind of distraction about the horrible mean characters of the world because we don't meet too many of them in real life.So when we have a chance, theatrically, to see one and this one, she's a biggie, it's kind of fascinating for us."She got the chance to reprise the role in several Little Mermaid sequels, spinoffs and even theme park rides.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterNicole Kidman and Javier Bardem will lend their voices to “Spellbound,” an animated fantasy musical from Apple Studios and Skydance Animation. The project reunites the pair, who just scored Oscar nominations for playing Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s 2021 biographical drama “Being the Ricardos.”John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, Jenifer Lewis, André De Shields and Jordan Fisher have also joined the call sheet.As previously announced, “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler is leading the cast as Princess Ellian, a young royal who embarks on a daring journey to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever.