Joining the likes of Snow White and Rapunzel, Ariel, the red-haired star of classic Disney tale The Little Mermaid, will receive a Hollywood revamp this year. 

In an interesting twist, the live-action adaptation of the animated film will be directed by indie darling Sofia Coppola.

Coppola, best known for her dark, vaguely existentialist dramas like Lost in Translation and The Virgin Suicides, was announced as the replacement for Atonement director Joe Wright, who was originally in talks to direct the project.

The Hans Christian Andersen tale will be recreated by Universal/Working Title films after numerous past attempts failed to come to fruition.  Edward Scissorhands screenwriter Caroline Thompson is reportedly on board to pen the film’s new big screen adaptation.

According to Deadline, now that Coppola has lent her directorial eye to the film, “the intention is to move quickly.”

Coppola is an interesting choice for the children’s story and the project marks a departure from her usual work, most recently the racy, teen crime film The Bling Ring.

Questions have also been raised as to whether the new version will keep the original ending of the story, in which the mermaid sacrifices herself for love, or sub in a more crowd-pleasing alternative.