7 Best Mermaid-Themed Movies & TV Shows To Watch This Summer!

It’s time to "seas" the day and embrace your inner mermaid! If you don’t know where to start, though, we recommend watching a couple of movies or binging some shows to get you in the mood. From girly rom-coms to a couple of Disney classics and even some fun shows, we’ve got the perfect list of salty and sweet mermaid movies and shows that need to be part of your world, stat! These will have you ready to have some fun in the sun, catching some waves, and even calling your friends up on your "shell-phone" to tell them all about it!

1. Aquamarine (2006)

Written by John Quaintance and Jessica Bendinger.

Start off your mermaid movie night with this classic! In this fun flick, two best friends (JoJo and Emma Roberts) must help a mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) woo and fall in love with the local lifeguard Raymond (Jake McDorman)! They must prove love is real to Aquamarine’s dad so she doesn’t have to agree to an arranged marriage and also get a special wish so one of the best friends doesn’t have to move halfway around the world. Featuring Weezer’s famous song “Island in the Sun”, Aquamarine will be your go-to mermaid movie of the Summer! Rent on Prime Video.

2. "H2O: Just Add Water" (2006-2010) 

Written by Jonathan M. Shiff, Anthony Morris, Sam Carroll, Max Dann, Philip Dalkin, Simon Butters, Chris Anastassiades, Chris Roache, Susan MacGillicuddy, Joss King, Deb Cox, John Armstrong, Caroline O'Meara, Jo Watson, Kirsty Fisher, Robert Armin, and Samantha Strauss.

This TV show is the perfect one to binge if you’re looking for something nostalgic! Originally broadcast from 2006-2010 on Australia's Network 10, "H20: Just Add Water" follows three best friends named Rikki (Cariba Heine), Cleo (Phoebe Tonkin), and Emma (Claire Holt) living in Queensland and facing everyday teen problems, but there’s a twist! The three girls become mermaids with unique superpowers and abilities, all over water. Just don’t accidentally get water on them, otherwise they’ll sprout a tail! This show will have you wishing you could become a mermaid every time you step foot in the ocean! Stream on Prime Video.

3. The Thirteenth Year (1999)

Written by Jenny Arata, Robert L. Baird, and Kelly Senecal.

This Disney Channel Original Movie follows Cody Griffin (Chez Starbuck), an adopted teenage boy about to turn 13. On his birthday, though, Cody quickly realizes that he’s starting to grow fins... and a tail! Quickly realizing his birth mother was a mermaid, Cody must balance regular life while also keeping his new identity a secret from his friends, family, and a mermaid-crazed fisherman! Originally released in 1999, this would be a hit at movie night with this classic mermaid DCOM! Stream on Disney+.

4. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Written by John Musker, Ron Clements, Howard Ashman, Gerrit Graham, Sam Graham, and Chris Hubbell.

Look at this film, isn’t it neat? This Disney animated feature is the perfect one to watch if you love the classics, need a good sing-along, or are just feeling mermaid vibes that day! This centuries-old fairy tale is told in a beautiful and musical way, filled with colorful animations and catchy lyrics that we’ve all grown to love. Even if you’ve watched this a thousand times over as a child, there’s nothing like a good stroll down Mermaid Memory Lane and watching this treasured film unfold! Stream on Disney+.

5. "Mako Mermaids: An H2O Adventure" (2013-2016) 

Written by Jonathan M. Shiff, Mark Shirrefs, Rachael S. Morgan, Sam Carroll, Max Dann, Anthony Morris, Evan Clarry, Amy Purton-Long, Kristen Souvlis, Michael Joshua, Chris Roache, Justine Juel Gillmer, Carine Chai, Chris Anastassiades, Jo Watson, and Simon Butters.

If you couldn’t get enough of "H2O: Just Add Water", this spinoff should surely do the trick! This show follows a young man named Zac (Chai Hansen), who is magically turned into a merman and discovers his underwater origins! This all happens after coming in contact with the magic waters from the mysterious Mako Island, which is guarded by a trio of mermaids named Sirena (Amy Ruffle), Nixie (Ivy Latimer), and Lyla (Lucy Fry). Using their mermaid powers and friendship, Zac and his new mermaid pals take on whatever life throws at them, in and out of the water! Stream on Netflix.

6. Splash (1984)

Written by Brian Grazer, Bruce Jay Friedman, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel.

After he is saved from drowning in the oceans off Cape Cod by a mysterious woman (Daryl Hannah), Allen (Tom Hanks) can't help but fall in love with her. She tells him that she’ll be in New York for "six fun-filled days until the moon is full" and then she has to return to where she came from, which, unbeknownst to Allen, is the ocean -- because she is secretly a mermaid! When Allen discovers the truth, he must stop outside forces (including the mermaid-obsessed Eugene Levy) from ruining their love and finding out her secret! This 1984 rom-com will have you falling in love with mermaids all over again! Stream on Disney+.

7. The Little Mermaid (2023)

Written by David Magee, John Musker, and Ron Clements.

Now that it’s finally here, we can’t help but watch it over and over again! Disney's live-action version of The Little Mermaid is everything you need in a mermaid movie and more. A retelling of the same story and featuring all of our beloved characters, this film features bright beautiful colors, funny dialogue, and all of our favorite songs, plus a few new ones! Starring Halle Bailey as our beloved Ariel, this movie is perfect for catching all the mermaid vibes this Summer. (In theatres; stream on Disney+ starting August 30.)

We hope you enjoy watching these movies and binge-ing these shows! Were sure they’ll make a splash in your life, and leave you feeling happy as a clam after watching!