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Harry Styles turned down Prince Eric role in action remake of 'Little Mermaid' to pursue 'darker roles'

The highly-anticipated live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid,' directed by Marshall, is set to hit theaters on May 26
UPDATED APR 4, 2023
The lead role of Prince Eric in the much-awaited live-action adaptation of the beloved 1989 musical was under consideration for Harry Styles (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
The lead role of Prince Eric in the much-awaited live-action adaptation of the beloved 1989 musical was under consideration for Harry Styles (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Renowned director Rob Marshall shared that he had considered Harry Styles, the 29-year-old singer, to play the role of Prince Eric in the highly anticipated live-action remake of the 1989 classic musical, according to Entertainment Weekly's latest digital cover story.

Marshall confirmed that he had spoken with Styles about the part, but the singer opted to go for "darker" roles such as his upcoming R-rated films 'Don't Worry Darling' and 'My Policeman', as well as his recent appearance in Marvel's 2021 film 'Eternals'. Marshall said, "He really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker." Eventually, Jonah Hauer-King was cast as Prince Eric, and Marshall praised the actor's 'sweetness' and 'deep passion' that matched the character perfectly.

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Styles considered for iconic film roles

Styles was a contender for two highly coveted film roles, including Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's Oscar-nominated biopic 'Elvis.' However, Luhrmann ultimately had reservations about casting such a global icon like Styles, as he revealed in an interview with Collider. "Harry is a really talented actor. I would work on something with him [but] the real issue with Harry is, he’s Harry Styles," Luhrmann said. "He’s already an icon."

Despite this, Luhrmann praised Styles' enthusiasm and spirit in wanting to explore the role. "Harry and I came to a place, genuinely I mean, he was just desperate to put the suit on and explore. He’s such a great spirit and I have nothing but great things to say about Harry Styles.” Styles was also linked to the lead role in Robert Eggers' upcoming "Nosferatu" remake, but unfortunately had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with his tour.

'The Little Mermaid'ive-action Remake

The highly-anticipated live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid,' directed by Marshall, is set to hit theaters on May 26. The film, which is a retelling of the 1989 animated Disney classic is loosely based on the 1837 Danish fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. The star-studded cast includes Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy, and Jacob Tremblay, with 'The Undoing' actress Noma Dumezweni portraying the role of Prince Eric's mother, Queen Selina. Adding to the excitement are three original songs created by renowned composer Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Miranda is teaming up with legendary composer Alan Menken, who wrote the music for the original Little Mermaid film alongside the late Howard Ashman. The film will be produced by Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt, and Miranda. In the original film, the story centers around a young mermaid named Ariel, who trades her voice to the sea witch Ursula for a pair of legs so she can pursue Prince Eric, the man she has loved from afar. The new adaptation promises to bring the beloved tale to life with a fresh perspective and captivating performances.

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