Disney Announces New ‘The Little Mermaid’-Inspired Preschool Series, ‘Ariel’

Disney Branded Television has greenlit a new animated series for preschoolers, "Disney Junior's Ariel," which is inspired by the beloved story of The Little Mermaid.

The announcement comes just weeks after the success of Halle Bailey's live-action adaptation of the 1989 animated classic.

On Tuesday, President of Disney Branded Television Ayo Davis made the announcement during the Annecy International Film Festival in France.

"For more than 30 years, the story of The Little Mermaid has been beloved by audiences all over the world," Davis said in a press release obtained by The Messenger. "It brings me so much joy to be able to introduce our new Disney Junior version of Ariel to preschoolers everywhere."

The new series, which is "set in the fantastical Caribbean-inspired underwater kingdom of Atlantica, follows a young Ariel as she embarks on fun-filled, action-packed mermaid adventures with her family and friends including King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian and Flounder, as well as exciting new additions," according to the release.

"As we were developing Disney Junior's Ariel, we knew that we wanted to create an atmosphere that was vibrant and magical and showcased our young Ariel's imagination, which, like our preschool audience watching at home, is as big as the sea," Alyssa Sapire, Senior Vice President of Development, Series and Strategy for Disney Junior, noted. 

In the series, Ariel "discovers land treasures, like a big floppy hat, squeaky rubber ducky and whisk, that she collects and keeps safe in her crystal cavern," per the announcement. "Sometimes, Ariel uses the treasures to help solve problems. With each discovery, Ariel is filled with joy, and her mermaid tail, which changes colors depending on her emotions, lights up and shimmers... Ariel is coming into her own, learning how to discover and appreciate the world around her and use her voice to inspire others."

Disney Junior's Ariel is set to debut on Disney platforms worldwide in 2024.