Why The Live-Action Little Mermaid Changes The Original Movie's Ending [Exclusive]

Marshall said, "Well, we thought about it, but we thought it was really important that the union they create was something that actually started the healing process between those two worlds." He's talking, of course, about the peoples of the ocean and the peoples of the land, who have a very strained relationship. A marriage between a person of each will is an age-old way to restore peace, regardless of your feelings about it.

DeLuca explained that they instead decided to focus on making Ariel and Eric's relationship one of deep friendship. He said:

"...we really wanted the relationship to be what won out and for them to really experience each other as friends - a deep, deep friendship. So it wasn't just falling in love with a handsome guy or a pretty girl. The wedding, we didn't show the wedding. We don't really have a wedding because we didn't want it to be everything, the second to last thing is the wedding. No , that's the relationship. They go out together and adventure together."

While I'll admit that teenage princess weddings have always been a weird concept to me, I love that they at least focus on making a connection rather than the ceremony. They go on an adventure at the end of the film, strengthening their relationship and bringing their worlds together in a new way.

"The Little Mermaid" is in theaters now.