Walt Disney Pictures is currently the most profitable film studio in Hollywood, with a legacy that stretches back almost a century. Recently Disney has been generating even more profit from some of its greatest animated hits by remaking them in live-action, with films like Cinderella, Maleficent and The Jungle Book all landing big at the box office. Given the success of this strategy, it’s little wonder that Beauty and the Beast is next on the agenda.
The classic fairy tale romance was originally adapted by Disney in 1991, during the “Disney Renaissance,” when some of the studio’s most iconic animated films were made. Featuring beautiful animation and some of Disney’s most recognizable songs, Beauty and the Beast became not only the best-known version of the story, but also one of the films that came to define Disney’s aesthetic. The live-action remake, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the lead roles, is set for release next year, and Disney recently debuted the first full-length trailer.
As a side-by-side comparison shows, Sanders is sticking very close to Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise’s original film with this live-action remake, lifting dialogue and scenes wholesale from the 1991 version. Still, perhaps this “tale as old as time” will bring something new to the table this time around.
Beauty and the Beast also features Luke Evans as Belle’s would-be suitor Gaston, Josh Gad as Gaston’s sidekick LeFou, and Kevin Kline as Belle’s father Maurice. Check out the stills gallery below.
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- Beauty and the Beast Release Date: 2017-03-17
