Disney’s live-action reimagining of Beauty and the Beast was met with some skepticism early on, with some fans unhappy that anyone felt a remake of the 1991 animated classic was needed. However, as plans progressed and casting was announced, excitement began to build. While the film’s actual release date is still almost a year away, Disney managed to capture everyone’s attention with the release of the first teaser trailer for the movie; a trailer which captured the magic of the animated hit, along with the romance and intrigue that Beauty and the Beast has always held for so many.

Within moments of its premiere on Good Morning America, the Beauty and the Beast trailer was trending on social media sites worldwide. With it being the topic of discussion for so many, it comes as little surprise that the trailer pulled in a massive 91.8 million views in its first 24 hours of release, smashing the previous record set by the second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which garnered 88 million views in 24 hours. In fact, the Disney fold dominate the list of record trailer views; Captain America: Civil War comes in third place, with 61 million views.

Beauty and the Beast stars Emma Watson as Belle, opposite Dan Stevens as the Beast. Emma Thompson takes on the role of Mrs Potts, with Ewan McGregor and Sir Ian McKellen completing the household staff roster as Lumiere and Cogsworth, respectively. Luke Evans plays Gaston, with Frozen’s Josh Gad as his sidekick, Lefou. Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Audra McDonald also star. Bill Condon (Twilight, Mr. Holmes) directs, and original composer Alan Menken has written new songs for the film, which will also contain the songs from the original Beauty and the Beast. 

The trailer might be brief, and our glimpse of a solitary cast member even more fleeting, but it was all audiences needed to be drawn in. This time at least, the trailer has served its purpose, generating a great deal of excitement for the film. Subsequent trailers will, we can assume, reveal more castmembers and perhaps we might even get a hint at some of the songs – which is what a lot of people are waiting for. Can all those on the cast list really sing? How will McGregor look as a candlestick? What special effects will be employed to make Stevens look beast-like? All these questions and more will no doubt be answered in time, but let us hope that Disney also leaves a lot of the magic shrouded in mystery, ready for the big unveiling when Beauty and the Beast arrives in theaters next year.

Beauty and the Beast will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.

Source: THR

  • Beauty and the Beast Release Date: 2017-03-17