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The Little Mermaid (2024) movie poster

Timeline

The Little Mermaid (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2024 · 1 h 28 m · English
Echo score 49
JustWatch #18,382 1
Starring
Wayne Gordon, Winston Crooke, Jeff Denton, Mike Markoff
Budget
$297M

After archaeologist Dr. Eric Prince and his students discover an ancient pagan temple in the Caribbean, he becomes captivated by a mysterious woman who bears a striking resemblance to a mermaid his team previously encountered. Their relationship deepens as she leads him into a dangerous underwater realm, forcing him to confront a difficult choice between love and a greater peril.

Horror Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like The Little Mermaid
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Little Mermaid (2024)

Where can you watch The Little Mermaid? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Disney Plus, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Little Mermaid Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Little Mermaid (2024) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ariel's Fascination

    Under the Caribbean Sea in Atlantica, Princess Ariel is entranced by the human world, collecting artifacts from shipwrecks in her grotto. Despite the prohibition imposed by her father, King Triton, she continues her obsession, imagining life above the waves.

    Where
    Atlantica

  2. Friendship with Flounder

    Ariel shares her interests with her best friend Flounder while seeking advice from Scuttle, a gannet who provides her with misleading information about humans. Their bond strengthens as they embark on adventures in their underwater home.

    Where
    Atlantica

  3. The Shipwreck

    One fateful night, Ariel witnesses a spectacular display of fireworks and surfaces to investigate. She discovers the source of the lights—the ship belonging to Prince Eric, a handsome human from a nearby island.

    Where
    Surface of the ocean

  4. A Heroic Rescue

    When a violent storm strikes, the ship crashes, and Ariel bravely saves Eric from drowning. She brings him to shore and sings to him while he is unconscious, but flees before he wakes up, leaving him mystified.

    Where
    Seashore

  5. Triton's Anger

    After noticing Ariel's unusual behavior, King Triton confronts Sebastian about her actions. Furious upon learning that Ariel rescued a human, he visits her grotto and destroys her beloved collection of human artifacts, demanding she never return to the surface.

    Where
    Ariel’s grotto

  6. Deal with Ursula

    Disheartened, Ariel encounters Ursula, the sea witch and her estranged aunt. Ursula offers Ariel a tempting deal: she can become human for three days in exchange for her voice, promising Ariel that true love's kiss will secure her transformation permanently.

    Where
    Underwater lair

  7. New Beginnings

    Ariel successfully transforms into a human and swims to the surface. Sebastian and Flounder accompany her as she makes her way to Eric's castle, where he is already searching for the girl who saved him.

    Where
    Eric's castle

  8. Exploring the Kingdom

    Eric takes Ariel to explore his kingdom, excited about their growing connection. Meanwhile, Sebastian tries to remind Ariel of her need to kiss Eric, as Ursula's magic begins to cloud her memory.

    Where
    Kingdom of Eric

  9. Ursula's Deception

    In a moment of rage over Ariel's close proximity to happiness, Ursula disguises herself as a human named Vanessa. Using Ariel's voice, she enchants Eric, making him forget about Ariel entirely.

    Where
    Eric's castle

  10. The Engagement Surprise

    Ariel learns that Eric is set to announce his engagement to Vanessa. With urgency, Scuttle alerts her to the truth about Vanessa, prompting Ariel to rush to the engagement ceremony to save Eric from Ursula's spell.

    Where
    Engagement party location

  11. Breaking the Spell

    At the engagement party, Ariel confronts Ursula and shatters the nautilus shell containing her voice. With her voice restored, she rekindles her connection with Eric, but times runs out as the sun sets.

    Where
    Engagement party

  12. Ursula's Wrath

    When Ariel transforms back into a mermaid, Ursula seizes her and swims away. Triton intervenes, sacrificing his own freedom to save Ariel from her fate, leading to a confrontation with Ursula that results in his demise.

    Where
    Underwater fortress

  13. Battle against Ursula

    Eric arrives with a harpoon to protect Ariel, resulting in a fierce battle against Ursula. In a final act of bravery, Ariel uses a shipwreck to defeat Ursula, impaling her and restoring peace to the ocean.

    Where
    Ocean's surface

  14. A New Life

    With Ursula defeated, Triton is restored, and he realizes the depth of Ariel's love for Eric. After understanding Ariel's desires, Triton grants her the gift of permanent humanity, allowing her to be with Eric.

    Where
    Beach

  15. Together at Last

    Ariel and Eric decide to travel the world together, with their families’ blessings. Their love transcends their different worlds, marking a new beginning for both of them.

Last updated: September 18, 2026 at 08:59

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Movie threads

More Movies Like The Little Mermaid, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Little Mermaid tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Forbidden love across worlds like in The Little Mermaid

Hearts divided by nature itself find a way to belong together. Movies like The Little Mermaid where love crosses an impossible divide. If you enjoyed this story of a romance that bridges two different worlds and demands real sacrifice, you'll find similar films here: hopeful romances with magical stakes, family conflict, and a satisfying happy ending that rewards the lovers' devotion.

  • romantic
  • forbidden love
  • sacrifice
  • magical
  • devotion
  • bittersweet stakes
  • Tone: hopeful, romantic, warm
  • Pacing: steady, character driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: A protagonist from one world encounters someone from a fundamentally different one and falls deeply in love. External forces, family pressure, or the rules of the setting oppose the union, forcing the lovers to make painful choices and sacrifices. The journey usually builds through quiet bonding, escalating conflict with authority figures, a climactic test of devotion, and a resolution that grants the lovers a place together, often requiring transformation or reconciliation between the two worlds.

Why they belong together: These films share the emotional engine of a romance that must overcome a seemingly insurmountable divide, paired with a hopeful tone and a happy ending. They blend heartfelt intimacy with larger stakes like family conflict, magical rules, or societal rejection, and they tend to favor warm resolution over tragedy. The pacing is steady, the romance is central, and the emotional weight sits comfortably in the middle, making them accessible and uplifting.

Let the Love Begin movie poster

Let the Love Begin

2005
Upside Down movie poster

Upside Down

2013
Moonstruck movie poster

Moonstruck

2022
Above the Shadows movie poster

Above the Shadows

2019
Ladyhawke movie poster

Ladyhawke

1985
Love Untangled movie poster

Love Untangled

2025
Love at First Sight movie poster

Love at First Sight

2023
In Your Eyes movie poster

In Your Eyes

2014

Whimsical fairy tale worlds like in The Little Mermaid

Enchanted realms, talking creatures, and wonder around every corner. Discover movies like The Little Mermaid that build enchanting fairy tale worlds full of magic, transformation, and mythical creatures. These family-friendly adventures balance whimsy with emotional depth, offering hopeful journeys through underwater kingdoms, hidden temples, and other spellbinding settings that feel timeless and comforting.

  • whimsical
  • enchanting
  • magical
  • fairy tale
  • family friendly
  • coming of age
  • Tone: whimsical, hopeful, warm
  • Pacing: steady, adventure paced
Why these movies?

The story pattern: A young protagonist stumbles into or belongs to a richly imagined magical world, often hidden beneath or alongside the ordinary one. The story moves through curiosity and discovery, a bargain or test involving transformation, a deepening of bonds with quirky magical companions, and a climactic confrontation between good and evil forces rooted in family or mythic history. Themes of identity, independence, and belonging surface naturally, and the resolution restores harmony while letting the hero grow into who they were meant to be.

Why they belong together: These films share an unmistakable fairy tale texture: a self-contained magical world, whimsical creatures who provide both help and comic relief, a clear good versus evil struggle, and an overall hopeful tone. They balance lighthearted humor with genuine emotional beats, keep the pacing steady and accessible, and end on a warm, happy note. Together they form a comfort viewing zone where wonder, transformation, and warmth define the experience.

The Little Mermaid movie poster

The Little Mermaid

2024
The Snow Queen: Mirror Lands movie poster

The Snow Queen: Mirror Lands

2018
Swapped movie poster

Swapped

2026
Hilda and the Mountain King movie poster

Hilda and the Mountain King

2021
The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter movie poster

The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter

1991
Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom movie poster

Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom

2007
Poupelle of Chimney Town movie poster

Poupelle of Chimney Town

2021
The Snow Queen movie poster

The Snow Queen

2013

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Every angle

The Little Mermaid (2024) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Little Mermaid in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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