10 Best Mermaid Movies and TV Shows, Ranked

10 Best Mermaid Movies and TV Shows, Ranked

There’s a reason mermaid movies are so popular and beloved both by adults and children. I mean, what’s not to love when it comes to a beautiful being with a beautiful singing voice? What’s even more intriguing is that the concept of a mermaid didn’t just come from the air. Over the centuries, there has always been speculations revolving around the marpeople. Either in terms of sexually enchanting sirens who lure sailors to their deaths or benevolent beings that are quite fascinated by human beings. Either way, mermaids are the perfect beings that explore the line between human beings and aliens. They act as metaphors for the very dynamic, vast, and unexplored regions of the ocean. Even nature itself.

1.    The Little Mermaid (2023)

Disney did it again with the latest Little Mermaid movie, starring the legendary Halle Bailey with her amazing singing voice. She plays so well as Ariel and no wonder fans cannot get enough of it. This remake of the original Little Mermaid has added a bit of new twists that make the movie even more interesting and difficult to ignore. Ariel (Halle Bailey) gets to show off her undersea knowledge and the supporting cast like Awkwafina as the seagull Scuttle, Javier Bardem as Triton, Daveed Diggs as the crab Sebastian, and Melissa McCarthy as the evil Ursula all do a great job in bringing the legendary idea of the beautiful mermaid craving to be human, come to life.

2. Aquamarine (2006)

Released in 2006, ‘Aquamarine’ has a modern and quirky edge to it that makes it all the more interesting and one you cannot want to miss. It tells the story of two teenage girls who are spending their final summer together before one of them departs for Australia. They then come across a teenage mermaid known as Aquamarine who has fled her father’s underwater kingdom and only has three days to prove that true love exists so as to avoid the arranged marriage she’s being forced to adhere to. Within no time, Aquamarine falls for a handsome lifeguard who ends up proving to the whole underwater kingdom that indeed true love exists.

3. Mad About Men (1954)

This one is a funny one. Starring a mermaid called Miranda, she has so many tricks up her sleeves that she hides her tail by using a wheelchair, flirting shamelessly with every man she encounters. She enlists the help of an eccentric Nurse to catch the attention of a handsome wealthy bachelor called Jeff. This time, Miranda even gets to sing a musical number in this legendary movie and you can bet she doesn’t disappoint.

4. The Mermaid (2016)

Directed by Stephen Chow, the director of the iconic movies, Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, ‘The Mermaid,’ is a typical romcom that takes an interesting edge. It tells the story of Billonaire Liu Xuan who acquires a coastal wildlife reserve and utilizes solar technology in order to drive away marine life and in the long run reclaim the land for its business purposes. It has a unique plot that most mermaid movies do not have and that is what makes it stand out. Even more impressive, it is a fantasy comedy that will leave your ribs cracking.

5. Blue My Mind (2017)

‘Blue My Mind’ takes a very interesting turn when a teenager known as Mia, played by Luna Wedler discovers that acne is the least of her problems. She sooner than later starts craving saltwater and fish, her toes start growing together, her belly button disappears and strange bruising on her legs eventually transforms into a tail. In other words, she transforms into a mermaid and her teenage insecurities are the last thing in her head. The movie goes beyond just the theme of romance but touches on puberty and its challenges, the importance of family, and what peer pressure can do to you.

6. A Mermaid in Paris (2020)

Directed by Mathias Malzieu, this particular mermaid movie is fit for all who are hopeless romantics. It is a typical great French movie surrounding the story of the two leads, Nicolas Duvauchelle and Marilyn Lima who have closed their hearts off to love. They however find their way around it and open up their hearts to each other. Lula is bitter because her mermaid mother was killed by humans and she has spent most of her nights luring men with her beautiful voice to their deaths. However, Gaspard is immune to her songs at first but when he starts to fall in love with her, it starts taking a great toll on him. Again, it is a beautifully written and played romantic movie that you cannot help but just fall in love with it.

7. Miranda (1948)

Directed by Ken Annakin, this fantasy movie is another mermaid movie that you cannot afford to ignore. What’s even more impressive is that this 1948 comedic charmer never gets old. Just a little bit of background, the movie tells the story of a married physician, Dr. Paul Martin, played by Griffith Jones, who finds himself imprisoned by Miranda while on a solo fishing trip. Miranda agrees to only release him if he takes her on a tour to London and hence she disguises her mermaid tail by making everyone believe she is a wheelchair user.

8. The Lure (2015)

This one isn’t your typical mermaid romance movie. In this Polish film, the mermaid is both a lover and a monster. Two sisters, Golden and Silver come to land in order to perform in a Warsaw nightclub, set in the 1980s. Golden just wants to eat humans as she views them as a source of food but Silver is a hopeless romantic who even falls in love with a human. She surgically replaces her tail with legs but unfortunately loses her voice as a result. It is a feminist gothic tale that finds humour in objectification and this is the very reason that makes it too good to ignore.

9. Splash (1984)

This classic 1984 film is another one that doesn’t disappoint. It revolves around the story of a mermaid who decides to tour around New York City and ends up falling in love. She can however be human for only seven days and within those days she has to have fallen in love and convince her father in the underworld that indeed true love exists. Lest the magic will be gone forever and she’ll go back to being a bored mermaid.

10. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Indeed, always save the best for last. This 1989 film is the OG of all mermaid films and frankly, most mermaid-themed films have borrowed a lot from it. Ariel has a wonderful voice that attracts the attention of a handsome human. She falls in love with him but Ursula, the evil witch steals her voice and tries to manipulate the man Ariel has fallen in love with. It is quite a classic and it never ceases to blow one’s mind how it never gets old regardless of the number of times you watch it.

These mermaid movies have all been written brilliantly, not to mention that the actors and actresses in each of them also did a splendid job in portraying the characters.