Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play Ursula the Sea Witch in Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic “The Little Mermaid,” Variety is reporting. Though the deal is not complete and still in the early stages, the Oscar nominee would certainly bring her signature verve and bite to the most iconic villainess in all of Disney lore. The live-action film is still in pre-production, but Disney has “Mary Poppins Returns” director Rob Marshall on board, as well as Lin Manuel Miranda lined up to pen some brand new songs.

The “Hamilton” creator is producing the film along with Marshall, Marc Platt and John DeLuca. David Magee wrote the script, with Jessica Virtue and Allison Erlikhman overseeing for the studio.

According to Variety, the team is looking to make “contemporary and compelling casting choices, while still paying homage to the beloved animated original.”

Loosely based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale,...