Chloë Grace Moretz Set to Star as The Little Mermaid

The live-action version of The Little Mermaid has finally gotten their Ariel. Chloë Grace Moretz, known for Kick-Ass and the Carrie remake, is set to star in Universal’s re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a young mermaid who yearns to become human.

Earlier this year, Sofia Coppola left the director’s chair due to “creative differences.” According to Variety, Moretz had long been Universal’s choice for the role — and may have been a reason why Coppola chose to leave. The Bling Ring director reportedly wanted to bring in Maya Thurman Hawke, daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman as the lead, but studio execs weren’t too keen on the newcomer. Since The Little Mermaid sadly won’t be done up in Coppola’s usual dreamy, feminine aesthetic, it will be interesting to see who actually ends up taking the film, as a new director has yet to be chosen.

In regards to the screenplay, many changes have also been made. When Coppola was still on board, a script draft was written by Caroline Thompson, known for her work with Tim Burton on Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Richard Curtis, who wrote Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridget Jones’ Diary, is now in talks to pen the script. What if The Little Mermaid ends up becoming a romantic comedy?

Moretz is currently filming Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising with Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Selena Gomez.