Disney’s newest live-action remake is finally out—The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey as the titular character, was released in theaters worldwide on May 26. As a true Ariel Girlie™ who pretty much burned through my VHS back in the day, I rushed to see it as soon as it arrived in my local cinema and I was not disappointed.
My one-sentence review is that it’s definitely one of the best remakes so far, and that’s largely thanks to Bailey, whose Ariel-ness shines so brightly, even through the Italian dub version I saw.
Now, just like the original animated film from 1989, The Little Mermaid is obviously a Disney product. We all know that Disney is also the studio behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And if there’s one thing Marvel movies have taught us in their almost two decades of existence is that Disney loves a good post-credit scene. Or maybe even two.
So of course the question arises: Is there something extra waiting for us at the end of The Little Mermaid’s underwater-themed credits, which roll while “Under the Sea” aptly plays? Do we maybe get a sneak peek of what Ariel and Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) are doing after the movie’s finale?
Does The Little Mermaid have a Marvel-style post-credits scene?
Sadly, the answer is no. While The Little Mermaid comes from the same production house that got us used to sitting through credits for a glimpse at a new superhero or villain entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney’s classic remakes are a whole other thing and do not have a post-credits scene.
None of the live-action remakes of Disney’s animated staples do, actually. From the film that arguably kicked it all off—Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 take on Cinderella starring Lily James—all the way down through Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King in 2019, Mulan in 2020, and Pinocchio in 2022.
Still, things are a bit different when it comes to movies inspired by Disney classics that focus on other characters—namely, the Disney villains’ origin stories. Cruella, starring Emma Stone as the titular character, does have a post-credits scene in which we learn that it was Cruella herself who gifted two very particular Dalmatian puppies to Anita and Roger.
When it comes to The Little Mermaid, you can leave the theater whenever you want once the screen fades to black without fear of missing any extra material or fun easter eggs.
(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
