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Yes, this is official (Sorry if this topic's been done, which I think it has; I just don't feel like bumping an old topic)!

If you bought the Little Mermaid PE DVD, you probably know that there is a TLM3 in the works from Disney. I predicted that it would be a prequel (of course, I think there were several others too), and the new title seems to prove my (I mean, our) point!

Apparently, it is now going to be called "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning" (Yes, Official Title! HURRAH.). It's scheduled to be released on August 26, 2008 on DVD only (yay for DTVs?) with a music video, a featurette and some other things that have yet to be mentioned at the current time. (Thanks to Ultimate Disney for this bit of news!) There are some good things about it so far: mostly all of the original cast will return to continue their classic roles (of course, Jodi Benson (Jenna from WQ and WoC, in case you didn't already know by now) returns as Ariel, our favorite red-headed and headstrong heroine (lots of h's there . . . LOL)), and Sally Field joins the cast as a new villian, Marina Del Rey. There's supposedly new songs and other new characters too, but the plot is unknown for the moment. (If I hear anything, I'll let you know ASAP!)

Feel free to speak your opinions on this latest news. What do you think the TLM prequel should be about?

Later, y'all!

- Juuchan17

EDIT: This Just In! - Apparently these are the only things known about the current plot for TLM:AB:
- King Triton (Ariel's Father) has forbidden music in Atlantica (which to people who haven't seen any eps of the TLM TV series and/or TLM2, is the city that Triton rules over . . . basically, the main setting of the underwater parts of the first movie) for some unknown reason
- Sebastian sings at a club that secretly plays music (watch the TLM3 sneak peek on the TLM:PE DVD for more of this, I think)
- Ariel's mother will only be mentioned, not in it (WAH.)
- Ariel is the main focus and character of the movie (unlike TLM2, in which her daughter, Melody, takes the helm of heroine)

Unfortunately, the crew of the film is sworn to be all hush-hush about details of the movie, so it'll be difficult to tell if some information is fact or fiction. However, I will be sure to tell you once I learn more!

By the way, a line of storybooks and coloring books promoting TLM:AB should be out sometime around May 2008 . . . and appartently, someone on the Ultimate Disney forums mentioned that Jodi Benson said in an interview that she had just completed a TLM3 album and the voice recording for the film. Whether this is true or not is beyond me.
[/EDIT]

I've read on Wikipedia that this will also be the last direct-to-video sequel Disney will be releasing, which is a good or bad thing depending on your POV.
I think that this is something that has the potential to be good, because the plot doesn't sound like the usual sequel formula - 'hero from first film has offspring that grows up to be whiny teenager who runs away because they can't get what they want blah blah blah.' We see this in The Little Mermaid II, Lady and the Tramp II and Balto II (although WQ actually tried to be good, and Aleu, despite the annoying voice, I thought was a cute character).

Haha, it's been ages since I watched TLM2.
Sounds interesting, and as previously mentioned, has the potential to be good.

Well, first of all, don't believe everything that's on Wikipedia - anyone could have written that, so it may or may not be true.

Second of all, I agree with the fact that this isn't at all like the typical sequels (Mostly because it's a prequel . . . OMG, an actual prequel from Disney?! *dies*). The best thing of all is that it doesn't have a number anymore (which the whole TLM3 being a prequel would have been a total letdown . . . especially after Disney's slew of midquels with those horrid numbers in the titles - Tarzan 2, Fox and the Hound 2, Bambi 2 . . . GAH.).

Let us just hope that Disney doesn't let us down for Ariel on this go-around . . .

*crosses fingers*

- Juuchan17

I agree on the whole Wikipedia thing (I once saw some one edit this article about okapis, and all it said was 'i am cool.' ). But I think I might've also read it on IMDB, but I'm not sure. But Disney are definately stopping direct-to-video sequels/midquels/prequels/crapquels etc.

Oh, wow. I was not expecting that. Well, I'll definitely see it...sounds quite interesting, actually, there might be a chance that it'll be good? *crosses fingers*

Sounds good :] Al though Disney is weird in my book DX

they're actually making a third one?
it'd better be worth it!

Wow. Again, I'm really looking forward for this, and apparently, Amazon.com already has a product description for TLM:AB on its site!


(again, this is thanks to UltimateDisney.com forums)

Ooh, is anyone else thinking this is an official description for the third TLM movie? No offense, if it is, but it sounds kind of sucky . . . but hopefully, this will soon be updated with some more details!

Also, I have seen a picture of a possible logo for TLM:AB, but I've heard from the UltimateDisney.com forum that it's probably a fake logo. It's attached below:



And finally, it is rumored (and actually proven) that Ariel's mother has a name! According to the Disney DVD Princess Game (the one that was released on the same day as the Disney Dogs DVD game), her name is actually Athena. Still, whether we'll learn more about her than that in TLM:AB is unknown, but Internet Movie Database mentions that she clearly has a voice in the film. (Also, click there for "cast details" and other such things - whether they're official or not is another question.)

BTW, Wikipedia also has a new page for TLM:AB after deleting the old TLM3 entry. It's empty at the moment, but I wouldn't trust it would help much.

Until I learn more info, keep in touch!

- Juuchan17

Hmm... the plot sounds a bit sucky, unfortunately D:

Hrmm...yeah, that plot does sound typically lame. But learning about her mother should be interesting. I bought the Disney Dogs DVD game but not the princess one, so I hadn't heard anything about her.

I think so, despite the horrid description for it so far. Nothing's really set in stone anyway, so all we can do is wait for the books to come out first! (Bwahaha.)

Also, I've found a better, larger and more clearer version of the possible title art for the film:


I like this one so far, so it's a good chance that it will be on the cover of the TLM:AB DVD release.

Other than that, I have nothing else. Until next time . . .

- Juuchan17