Over 30 years after Walt Disney Pictures released their animated musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid, Ariel returns to the big screen in the Studios’ live-action remake. Thirsty for adventure and longing to find out more about life out of the water, the spirited mermaid makes a deal with an evil sea witch, who offers her the chance to experience life on land as a human - but at a terrible cost. 

Halle Bailey brings Ariel to life in an underwater adventure bursting with colour, song and heartwarming moments. Audiences who are familiar with the animated original will recognise the same characters and musical numbers that have been given a modern, CGI twist. This also means that Ariel’s enemies, namely Ursula - the villainous sea witch - have been given a more realistic appearance. Portrayed by Melissa McCarthy, Ursula’s tentacled half-human, half-octopus form is a powerful presence on-screen. How might this come across to audiences in the cinema, particularly younger children?

With your Compliance Officer hat on, think about the things you see in this trailer and how these might make people feel when watching it on a big screen. Is life under the sea ‘the bubbles’, or are there things that might scare younger viewers in this trailer? Give it an age rating and see what rating it received from the BBFC!