Sofia Coppola Exits THE LITTLE MERMAID

Variety broke the news today that Sofia Coppola has exited the directing gig for Universal’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. According to the article, Coppola’s reasons for leaving are of the creative differences sort, mainly in the casting of Arial, the lead. Coppola reportedly wanted Maya Thurman Hawke, daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, but the studio had other ideas.

I find this news to be kind of a shame, as I would have liked to see how Coppola would have made this classic story her own. Oh well, now we’ll have to see who the replacement is.