# The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning

> 2008 animated film directed by Peggy Holmes

**Wikidata**: [Q659725](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q659725)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid:_Ariel's_Beginning)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-little-mermaid-ariel-s-beginning

## Summary
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning is a 2008 animated musical film directed by Peggy Holmes that serves as a prequel to Disney's The Little Mermaid franchise. It explores Princess Ariel's early life in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica before her famous encounter with Prince Eric.

## Key Facts
- Directed by Peggy Holmes
- Released on August 26, 2008 (US) and September 24, 2008 (other regions)
- Production companies: Disneytoon Studios and Walt Disney Pictures
- Country of origin: United States
- Genre: Musical film
- IMDb ID: tt0969647
- Rotten Tomatoes rating: 5.4/10, 33%
- Metacritic ID: 488254
- Freebase ID: /m/03m5vcv
- AllMovie ID: 96680
- The Movie Database ID: 135365
- Wikipedia title: The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
- Sitelink count: 35 (Wikipedia links)
- Preceded by: The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)

## FAQs
**What is The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning about?**
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning is a prequel that explores Princess Ariel's early life in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica, depicting her childhood before her famous encounter with Prince Eric. It shows her relationship with her father King Triton, her sisters, and her growing fascination with the human world.

**Who directed The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning?**
The film was directed by Peggy Holmes, who previously worked on Disney projects like The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and The Lion King 1½.

**When was The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning released?**
The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2008, and in other regions on September 24, 2008.

**What production companies were involved in making the film?**
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning was produced by Disneytoon Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, with Disneytoon Studios serving as the primary animation studio.

**How was The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning received by critics?**
The film received generally negative reviews from critics, holding a 5.4/10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes with only 33% of critics giving it a positive review.

**What is the connection between The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning and other films in the franchise?**
The film serves as a prequel to The Little Mermaid (1989) and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), which it preceded in the franchise's timeline but was released after.

## Why It Matters
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning matters as it expands the lore of one of Disney's most beloved franchises, providing backstory for the popular character Ariel. It represents Disney's continued investment in direct-to-video sequels and prequels, which were a significant part of their home video market strategy in the early 2000s. The film also showcases the evolution of Disney's animation style and storytelling techniques during the post-Renaissance era, bridging the gap between traditional hand-drawn animation and the digital techniques that would later dominate the industry. Additionally, it maintains the franchise's cultural relevance by introducing a new generation of viewers to the underwater world of Atlantica and its characters.

## Notable For
- Being the third film in The Little Mermaid franchise, released after the original and sequel despite being a prequel
- Having a significantly lower critical reception compared to the original film, with only 33% of critics giving it positive reviews
- Serving as one of the last traditionally animated films produced by Disney before they shifted primarily to computer animation
- Featuring a musical score that continues the franchise's tradition of memorable songs
- Exploring themes of family relationships and individuality that resonate with the franchise's core audience
- Being directed by Peggy Holmes, who had previously worked on other Disney direct-to-video releases
- Maintaining visual consistency with the original film while updating animation techniques for the late 2000s

## Body
### Production and Release
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning was directed by Peggy Holmes and produced by Disneytoon Studios in collaboration with Walt Disney Pictures. The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2008, and in other international markets on September 24, 2008. It was produced as a direct-to-video and DVD release, continuing Disney's tradition of creating sequels and prequels for their popular animated franchises.

### Creative Team and Development
The film was developed as a prequel to the original The Little Mermaid (1989) and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), despite being released after both films. Director Peggy Holmes brought her experience from previous Disney projects, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and The Lion King 1½. The creative team worked to maintain visual consistency with the original film while updating animation techniques for the late 2000s, representing a transitional period in Disney's animation production.

### Story and Characters
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning explores Princess Ariel's early life in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. The story depicts her childhood, her relationship with her father King Triton, her six older sisters, and her growing fascination with the human world. The film introduces new elements to the franchise's lore while maintaining established character relationships and personalities. It serves as an origin story for Ariel, showing how her curiosity and independent nature developed before the events of the original film.

### Reception and Critical Response
The film received generally negative reviews from critics, holding a 5.4/10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes with only 33% of critics giving it a positive review. Metacritic assigned it a score of 488254, indicating mixed to poor reception. Despite the critical reception, the film likely found an audience among younger viewers and fans of the franchise, as is common with direct-to-family releases.

### Production Companies and Industry Context
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning was produced by Disneytoon Studios, a division of Walt Disney Animation Studios that specialized in direct-to-video sequels and prequels. The film was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, which has been the primary distributor for Disney's animated features since 1923. The production took place in the United States, continuing Disney's tradition of creating family-friendly entertainment from American studios.

### Genre and Classification
The film is classified as a musical film, continuing the franchise's tradition of incorporating songs and musical sequences into the storytelling. It belongs to the broader category of animated films, which are defined as "film for the cinema, television or computer screen that is made by using drawings, stop motion or computer animation." The film also fits within the family film genre, targeting both children and adults with its themes and storytelling.

### Franchise Position and Timeline
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning holds a unique position in the franchise as a prequel that was released after both the original film and its sequel. In the franchise's timeline, it precedes all other films, showing events that occur before The Little Mermaid (1989) and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000). This non-linear release order created an interesting narrative structure for fans exploring the franchise chronologically.

### Technical and Artistic Elements
The film represents a transitional period in Disney's animation production, utilizing traditional hand-drawn animation techniques while incorporating digital elements that would become more prevalent in later productions. The visual style aims to maintain consistency with the original film while updating for contemporary audiences. The musical score continues the franchise's tradition of incorporating songs that advance the narrative and develop characters.

### Cultural Impact and Legacy
While not as culturally impactful as the original film, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning maintains the franchise's presence in popular culture and introduces new generations to the characters and world of Atlantica. It represents Disney's ongoing strategy of expanding their intellectual property through various media formats, including direct-to-video releases. The film's legacy is primarily tied to its role in completing the chronological narrative of The Little Mermaid franchise.

### Distribution and Home Media
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning was released on DVD and likely other home media formats, continuing Disney's direct-to-video distribution strategy. The film's release was part of Disney's broader home entertainment market approach, which included creating additional content for popular franchises beyond their theatrical releases. The home media release allowed the film to reach audiences who might not have seen it in theaters, as it was not widely distributed in cinema markets.

### Connection to Other Disney Properties
As part of The Little Mermaid franchise, the film connects to other Disney properties through shared characters, themes, and the broader Disney animated universe. It represents Disney's strategy of creating interconnected stories and characters that can be explored across multiple films and media formats. The film's production and release were part of Disney's larger strategy of maintaining their classic animated franchises while introducing new content to keep them relevant to contemporary audiences.

### Future of the Franchise
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning represents one of the last traditionally animated direct-to-video releases from Disney before the company shifted primarily to computer animation techniques. Its release marked a point of transition in Disney's animation production methods and distribution strategies. The film's completion of the chronological narrative arc for the franchise left the door open for potential future stories, though no further direct-to-video entries have been produced as of the knowledge cutoff.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.mafab.hu/movies/a-kis-hableany-a-kezdet-kezdete-46898.html)
2. [Source](https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film488254.html)
3. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/mala-syrenka-dziecinstwo-ariel)
4. [Source](http://animatedfilmreviews.filminspector.com/2012/12/thelittlemermaidarieldbeginnings.html)
5. [Source](http://movieweb.com/movie/the-little-mermaid-ariels-beginning/)
6. The Movie Database
7. The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. Rotten Tomatoes
8. [Source](http://www.d-zine.se/filmer/denlillasjoejungfrun3.htm)
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. Behind The Voice Actors
11. Kinopoisk
12. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/de-kleine-zeemeermin-ariel-hoe-het-begon/)
13. Entertainment Identifier Registry
14. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
15. Online-Filmdatenbank
16. mymovies.it
17. [Source](https://norske-dubber.fandom.com/no/wiki/Den_lille_havfruen_III:_Fortellingen_om_Ariel_(Film)?oldid=120624)
18. Trakt.tv
19. FilmVandaag.nl