Disney‘s latest live-action remake is just around the corner, with The Little Mermaid set to splash into theaters this Memorial Day weekend. As fans eagerly await the release of the film later this month, Walt Disney Studios has revealed a brand-new featurette highlighting the talented cast behind the production.

“There was a lot of training to play the characters. There was stunt training, boat training, voice training, dog training, gym training. I just feel so trained,” said Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Prince Eric in the film. While the live-action rendition of the story utilizes the physicality of the film’s cast to bring the beloved classic to life, the featurette also highlights the importance of the voice actors behind the camera, who play the movie’s CGI characters. “Rob [Marshall] would often encourage me to like ad-lib,” Awkwafina, who plays Scuttle, says, accompanied by a behind-the-scenes look at her voicing some comedic lines in the recording studio.

However, no great story is without an iconic villain, and with The Little Mermaid, there are no bigger shoes – or in this case, tentacles – to fill than Ursula herself, who Melissa McCarthy will portray. The featurette teases Ursula’s family ties to the main characters, a dynamic removed from the original animated film. “I got to be Javier Bardem‘s sister, and it was just so incredible to work with him, but boy, you feel those lighting bolts come out,” McCarthy adds. Given the footage provided, it appears McCarthy‘s take on the character will serve as one of the biggest highlights of the film, which Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel, praises. “Melissa McCarthy as Ursula is a dream, and it was hard to not like her in the film. She’s amazing,” she said.

Another Disney Animated Classic Comes to Life

The Little Mermaid remains one of Disney‘s most beloved animated classics and is notable for kick-starting the company’s renaissance era that dominated the ’90s. With other films from the period, such as The Lion King and Aladdin, receiving their own live-action remakes alongside crossing the $1 billion threshold, it comes as no surprise that The Little Mermaid would eventually receive its own re-imagining. While some fans continue to express a strong dislike toward the live-action remakes, Disney remains committed to revisiting their animated catalog, and with The Little Mermaid tracking a $110 million domestic opening, according to a report from Deadline, it appears audiences are ready to dive into a new colorful adventure under the sea.

The Little Mermaid splashes into theaters on May 26. Check out the official featurette for the film below.

via Collider