Disney Branded Television has announced the premiere date for the animated musical series “Disney Jr.’s Ariel,” set to debut on Thursday, June 27 at 9:00 a.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Junior. The show will later air on Disney Channel the same day and make an initial batch of eight episodes available on Disney+ starting Friday, June 28.
Inspired by the classic “The Little Mermaid,” this series brings together an impressive cast led by Mykal-Michelle Harris, Taye Diggs, and Amber Riley.
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Set in the Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica, the series follows young mermaid princess Ariel (Harris) as she embarks on underwater adventures with her family and friends, including King Triton (Diggs), Ursula (Riley), Flounder (Gracen Newton) and mer-friends Fernie (Cruz Flateau) and Lucia (Elizabeth Phoenix Caro).
Yvette Nicole Brown, Melissa Villaseñor, and Ron Funches will recur on the series.
To build excitement ahead of the premiere, Disney will feature a new series of shorts titled “Disney Jr.’s Ariel: Mermaid Tales” starting Wednesday, June 5 across Disney’s platforms.
The series, which highlights themes of self-expression and multiculturalism, has garnered attention not only for its star-studded cast but also for its authentic portrayal of Caribbean culture. Dr. Patricia Saunders, a cultural expert from the University of Miami, serves as a consultant on the project.
Music plays a central role in the series, with original songs inspired by Caribbean music genres. EmmyⓇ Award winner Christopher Willis leads the composition team, with Sean Skeete from Berklee College of Music contributing as a Caribbean music consultant.
Fans can also look forward to a digital soundtrack release by Walt Disney Records on June 28, along with a variety of merchandise offerings from Disney Consumer Products.
“Disney Jr.’s Ariel” is executive produced by Lynne Southerland and produced by Wild Canary in collaboration with Disney Jr.