Disney's The Little Mermaid might be getting a live-action adaptation

Disney is raiding its back catalogue once more to inspire a live-action version of an animated classic. This time it looks as if The Little Mermaid will be making the transition from underwater cartoon to err, underwater live-action feature?

According to Deadline, the film is in "the early stages" as production chiefs are now evaluating the project after hearing a new pitch. The site adds that "initial discussions have also taken place with major producers, including some with a strong connection to the studio.” How exactly the studio plans to craft a 'real life' take on the story is, at the moment, unknown. But it's easy to see why Disney is keen to push forward.

In the last few years, several of the studio's animated films have been reworked as live-action features, with Alice In Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and The Jungle Book all earning a pretty penny at the box office. Based on the popularity of this week's Beauty and The Beast teaser, that track record looks set to continue.

That's not to say that The Little Mermaid is a shoo-in; there's already another adaptation in the pipeline from Universal and Working Title, with Chloe Grace Moretz attached as Ariel. That version had Sofia Coppola attached to direct at one point, until she left the project following a casting dispute. If Disney's film kicks into gear, we might see two competing Mermaids at the multoplex.

Images: Disney