Who co-directed Disney’s 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid with John Musker?
Answer
Ron Clements
Ron Clements co-directed Disney’s 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid with John Musker.
Clements and Musker also shared the story credit and helped reshape Hans Christian Andersen’s tragic fairy tale into a family-oriented musical adventure. Their version emphasized Ariel’s curiosity, her relationship with King Triton, and the comic personalities of Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle.
The film was an important turning point for Walt Disney Feature Animation. Its success helped begin the period later called the Disney Renaissance, during which Disney released several highly successful animated musicals. Clements and Musker later collaborated on Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, and Moana.
A common mix-up is to credit only one director. The 1989 film officially had two directors: Ron Clements and John Musker. Clements later directed several other Disney films, including The Princess and the Frog and Moana.