Merlyna

Merlyna is a 2018 Philippine fantasy television series directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and Veronica B. Velasco, it is topbilled by Jhazmyne Tobias in her title role, together with an ensemble cast. The series premiered on IBC's Primetime Ang Dating evening block and worldwide on Global IBC on March 5, 2018, replacing To Love Again.

The story followed the journey of a teen mermaid named Merlyna, as she discovers the world above the ocean and locks in a love triangle.

It is the third mermaid fantaserye of IBC after the first ever phenomenal and top-rating primetime fantaserye Janella in Wonderland and Syrena.

Overview
The fantaserye continues to dominate in primetime that will surely captivate the mermaids and beautiful sea creatures in a splash of the deep blue sea by discovering the gorgeous underwater fantasy in a mermaid tale.

A tradition of the fantaserye genre as IBC, which celebrating its 58th anniversary as the Birthplace of the Golden Age of Television, is proud to present another mermaid fantaserye in the same league of Janella in Wonderland and Syrena.

Merlyna, topbilled by the Soap Opera Princess Jhazmyne Tobias in her title role as a mermaid.

Merlyna is a girl from the island. She's a teenager who learns a magical secret: she's a mermaid! As the enchanting mermaid princess, Merlyna learned her dolphin friend Zumy whose set off on an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceania. With help from her mermaid friends, Merlyna saves the infinite ocean kingdom.

Plot
Merlyna Curtis (Alessandra Sophia) is a young mermaid, who was born as 5-year-old, as the Princess of Oceania, an underwater kingdom. She paired by her mother Queen Elisa (Assunta De Rossi) who meets the pink dolphin Zumy (Alliah Michelle) and a helpful sea lion Sloutty (Nathan Prats) who are friends with Merlyna. In the land, Merlyna was being her into a human who raised by a father Albert (Raymart Santiago). He involve his granmother Marita (Coney Reyes) and his grandfather (Freddie Webb) who are the Curtis familly where he discover Merlyna from Oceania because of her mermaid in the sea. Albert paired with Maritoni (Bangs Garcia) who involve him in a drastic life about the mermaid.

Causing the underwater and the island was being destroyed by fire, earthquake and death, Albert pleased that Merlyna was fell fown into the sea. However, Merlyna (Jhazmyne Tobias) who turns 15, was awake while she discovered the swim by using her using her magical necklace to transform into a mermaid and went to Oceania where she discovered with Queen Elisa, and also Zumy. In the land, Gabriel (Hiro Volante), an attractive young boy as Merlyna's love interest, who lying down in the sand when Merlyna fall in love. Gabriel involve Allan (Cogie Domingo), who discovered for Merlyna as a beautiful mermaid loves Gabriel.

Things are looking up for Merlyna until the evil mermaid Melda (Krista Ranillo) took over the throne. But this tim that Merlyna to stop Melda and save the beautiful mer-world of Oceania as Merliah saved her mother's kingdom, Merlyna learns anything in a love traingle and that her love for both worlds land and the sea.

Main Cast

 * Jhazmyne Tobias as Merlyna Curtis / Princess Merlyna (mermaid/human) - She's a teenager who's half human and half mermaid. She's the crown princess of Oceania and has orange and pink tail. She is a high school teenager who loves a good family and a strong princess of underwater kingdom. She is a teenager from Malibu and a half mermaid princess of Oceania. Merliyna was born to Queen Elisa. She is the daughter of Albert and also niece of Melda.
 * Hiro Volante as Gabriel Guevara (human) - Merlyna's love interest
 * Raymart Santiago as Albert Curtis (human) - Merlyna's father, who is a human.
 * Coney Reyes as Marita Curtis (human) - Merlyna's grandmother
 * Freddie Webb as Allan Curtis (human) -  Merlyna's grandfather
 * Bangs Garcia as Maritoni Guevara (human) - Gabriel's stepmother.
 * Cogie Domingo as Allan Guevara (human) - Gabriel's foster father.
 * Assunta De Rossi as Elisa Curtis / Queen Elisa (mermaid/human) - Merlyna's mother, a mermaid with a blue and yellow tail. She's the Queen of Oceania. She is fair and brave woman. Her worst nightmare is when she does not have the ability to swim.
 * Alliah Michelle as the voice of Zumy (sea creatures) -, a pink, sparkly dolphin who is friends with Merlyna.
 * Nathan Prats as the voice of Sloutty (sea creatures) - a helpful sea lion who is friends with Merlyna. He belongs to Xyriel and Joanne.

Supporting Cast
Mermaids Sea creatures Villains
 * Ryan James Bacalla as Joshua David (human) - Gabriel's bestfriend.
 * Samantha Montano as Tricia (human) - one of Merlyna's classmates/bestfriends.
 * Mianne Fajardo as Anne (human) - one of Merlyna's classmates/bestfriends.
 * Sophia Margarette To as Chelsea (human) - Merlyna's classmate/friend.
 * Elijah Rodriguez as Zanjay Magundayao (human) - Gabriel's classmate/friend.
 * Saab Magalona as Teacher Chariz (human) - the high school teacher.
 * Slater Young as Miguel (human) - the high school coach.
 * Denise Joaquin as Yaya Teresa (human) - the maid in the Curtis family.
 * Eddie Gutierrez as Rodel Guevarra (human) - Gabriel's grandfather.
 * Veyda Inoval as Xyriel - Merlyna's bestfriend and super-stylish mermaid. She own a luxurious boutique under the sea where Merlyna is a mermaid. They own Sloutty, a sea lion pup. They own Sloutty, a sea lion pup. They help Merlyna fight the evil Melda. She has blonde hair with blue streaks.
 * Mary Jaydeeryn Elias as Joanne - Merlyna's bestfriend and super-stylish mermaid. She own a luxurious boutique under the sea where Merlyna is a mermaid. They own Sloutty, a sea lion pup. They own Sloutty, a sea lion pup. They help Merlyna fight the evil Melda. She has brown hair with purple streaks.
 * Christine Veloira as Marbella
 * Sabrina Man as Ambassador Crissel - is one of the ambassadors of Oceania. She likes thinking big and her worst fear is being trapped in small spaces.
 * Angeli Nicole Sanoy as Ambassador Roselle - is one of the ambassadors of Oceania. She likes being fast and her worst fear is being slow.
 * Nikki Samonte as Ambassador Cara - is one of the ambassadors of Oceania. She is very conscious about her appearance and her worst fear is being ugly.
 * Julia Monica Caldito as Ambassador Alexa - is one of the ambassadors of Oceania. She is very confident and doesn't appear to be scared of anything and her worst fear is being unconfident and shy.
 * Ruben Gonzaga as the voice of Callie - a blue seahorse who wears a necklace.
 * IC Mendoza as the voice of Rema - a seahorse and he works for Melda, he lives in Oceania.
 * John James Uy as the voice of Paffarazzi - a puffer fish who works as a paparazzi.
 * AJ Dee as the voice of Collade - a blue seahorse who wears a necklace.
 * Jennica Garcia as the voice of Ally - a purple seahorse who wears a necklace.
 * Krista Ranillo as Melda - the primary antagonist, an evil mermaid with an orange tail. She is Elisa's evil younger sister and Merlyna's aunt, who wants to dethrone Elisa and force others to worship her. To this end, she uses a new spell that forces everyone's worst nightmares to come true. Her own worst nightmare is having legs.
 * Baron Geisler as the voice of Alystair - the secondary antagonist and a rainbow fish.
 * Jovic Susim as the voice of Stargaza - a group of tough electrical fish. Melda intimidates them into helping her.

Guest Cast

 * Karlo Manalo as Jake Arevana
 * Mark McMahon as Troy Alfonso

Special Participation

 * Alessandra Sophia as young Merlyna (mermaid)
 * Princess Angel Gacayan as young Xyriel (mermaid)
 * Helena Nicole de Jose as young Joanne (mermaid)

Casting
Merlyna marks another primetime teleserye of Jhazmyne Tobias after Hanggang Kailan, Annaliza?, a curriculum-based teleserye is an adaptation of the 80s soap opera Anna Liza. Hiro Volante also landed in his third primetime series after Glory Jane and Hanggang Kailan, Annaliza?. The fantaserye also marks another primetime project of Raymart Santiago after Magic Kamison. The first major primetime project of Coney Reyes under IBC since after leaving ABS-CBN; and Freddie Webb also returns to IBC, almost 30 years after the sitcom Chicks to Chicks. The fantaserye also marks the first project of Bangs Garcia to IBC, playing the role of Maritoni Guevara; the third major primetime project of Cogie Domingo under IBC; and the third primetime project of Assunta De Rossi under IBC.

In the series, the scenes of underwater (mermaids and sea creatures) will be using the computer-generated imagery (CGI) and 3D computrer-animated format by updated editing software, along with various other technologies.

Filming
Filming for Merlyna began in December 11, 2017.

Soundtrack
Due to the success of the fantaserye, the soundtrack album for the fantaserye was released on March 1, 2018 under IBC and Secarats Talent Management Services in cooperation with Ivory Music & Video and released by IBC Records and PolyEast Records. The physical copy of soundtrack is available in leading music stores and digitally via Spotify, iTunes, Guvera, Deezer, Rdio and Amazon Music.

Track listing

 * 1) If We Just Hold On (composer: Vehnee Saturno) - Via Saroca
 * 2) Ikaw Lang (composers: Barney Borja, Bojjie Borja-Lim) - Hiro Volante
 * 3) Feel Na Feel (composer: Aaron Paul del Rosario) - Keith Cruz
 * 4) Nandito Ako (composer: Aaron Paul del Rosario) - Roel Manlangit
 * 5) Rainy Days and Mondays (Benét) (composers: Paul Williams, Roger Nichols) - Hype Five
 * 6) Sleep (X-Treme) (composer: Tom Taus) - Patrick Destura
 * 7) I'm Feeling Sexy Tonight (composer: Ed Formoso) - Joyce Abestano
 * 8) Hang On (composer: Tats Faustino) - Hiro Volante
 * 9) The Warrior Is A Child (composer: Twila Paris) - Grae Fernandez
 * 10) I'm A Mermaid Tale (composer: Hazel Faith dela Cruz) - Joyce Abestano

Ratings
Merlyna debuted with the premiere episode The Tail Beginning on March 5, 2018 and already received a national TV rating of 39.5%, because of ABS-CBN's FPJ's Ang Probinsyano remained at number one with 41.8% and GMA's Sherlock Jr. with only 14.8%, according to data from Kantar Media. Aside from dominating the ratings game, Merlyna also won the hearts of young viewers of all ages who enjoyed the fantaserye as the pilot episode #MerlynaTheTailBeginning quickly became a nationwide trending topic on Twitter because of the positive tweets posted by viewers about the fantaserye.

Merchandise
IBC and Secarats advantage of the show's popularly to the partnership with Sari-Sari Kapinoy as the merchandise Merlyna Items, the merchandise that produce a school supplies (notebooks, pencils, erasers, bags, watches, ballpen), dolls, tumbler, keychain, fan, bag, watches, umbrella, mug, sticker, among others are also being sold available in the market of supermarkets, supermalls, malls and so much more in Mega Manila and other provinces nationwide in very affordable prices and Merlyna Mobile Game App available on Android, iOS and Google Play.