Javier Bardem is currently in talks to play King Triton in Disney's live-action retelling of Aladdin (sorry Dumbo), there's little reason to expect that the studio will slow down its efforts anytime soon.
Among the Disney live-action remakes that are actively moving forward right now are The Little Mermaid, a new take on the company's Oscar winning 1989 animated fairy tale (not to mention, the feature that really kicked off the Disney Animation Renaissance of the 1990s). So far, Awkwafina as the snarfblat specializing seagull Scuttle.
According to Deadline, the Oscar-winning Bardem is now in negotiations to play Ariel's father and the ruler under the sea, King Triton. The DisInsider actually reported this news earlier today, but was unable to confirm it at the time.
Bardem, of course, is far from a stranger to the Mouse House, having previously portrayed the villainous Captain Salazar in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. And while many fans had reasonably expected that Triton would be played by a black actor in the live-action Little Mermaid - Mary Poppins Returns) is open to filling just about any and every role with actors of a variety of races and nationalities. Hopefully, by the time he's done, the movie will have assembled a pretty inclusive ensemble overall.
With The Lion King, which arrives in theaters this week).
More on The Little Mermaid as it develops.
Source: Deadline, The DisInsider
