Ursula (The Little Mermaid) the studio's strongest and most powerful villains in several years. Film critic Roger Ebert dubbed Ursula Disney's "most satisfying villainess since" "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"' Evil Queen, who debuted in 1937. Critics agree that Ursula played an important role in the overall success of "The Little Mermaid". Samantha Rullo of "Bustle" reviewed Ursula as a "way more interesting" character than Ariel herself, while praising her for "rocking the best hair and makeup of any Disney villain." Also writing for "Bustle", Caitlyn Callegari appreciated Ursula for "tell[ing] it like it is." Jay Boyar of the "Orlando Sentinel" hailed Ursula
The Little Mermaid (franchise) due to various circumstances. In 1985, "The Great Mouse Detective" co-director Ron Clements discovered a collection of Andersen's fairy tales while browsing a bookstore. He presented a two-page draft of a movie based on "The Little Mermaid" to CEO Michael Eisner and Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg at a "gong show" idea suggestion meeting. Eisner and Katzenberg passed the project over, because at that time the studio was in development on a sequel to their live-action mermaid comedy "Splash" (1984) and felt "The Little Mermaid" would be too similar a project. The next day, however, Walt Disney Studios chairman