Released on Monday is the new trailer to Disney’s Beauty And The Beast, their live action adaptation of the classic 1991 animated film, as well as the original fairy tale written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. The official synopsis reads, “Beauty and the Beast is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs.”
If you are a fan of the original animated film, as I am, a lot of the scenes in this trailer are very familiar, including the famous ballroom scene. The story, of course, you already know. Belle (Emma Watson) offers to stay at the castle of the Beast (Dan Stevens) in exchange for the freedom of her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline). During her stay, she meets the enchanted objects who serve the Beast, while, slowly, a special relationship is formed between the two. Meanwhile, the arrogant Gaston (Luke Evans) wishes to marry Belle, and will stop at nothing to make her his wife.
The rest of the cast of familiar characters include Josh Gad as Gaston’s groveling lackey La Fou, Ewan McGregor as the voice of Lumiere, Ian McCellan as the voice of Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as voice of Mrs. Potts, and Nathan Mack as Mrs. Potts’ son, Chip.
The movie features songs from the original film, lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, as well as three new songs by Menken and lyricist Tim Rice. None of the songs written for the Broadway adaptation will be used in this new film.
There are also some changes to the story as well. In this film, Belle is the inventor, and Maurice goes to sell her inventions. There will also be new scenes in addition to the new songs, as the film is 2 hours and 3 minutes in length, the original animated film was 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Whether you loved the original film, or if this will be your first time seeing this classic story, this looks to be a film that will be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Beauty And The Beast is directed by Bill Condon and written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos. Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, and Ian McCellan. Coming to theaters on March 17, 2017.
-30-
Gary DaBaum, SCIFI.radio DJ, writer, and all around nice guy, can be heard on SCIFI.radio. When not on the air, he can be found in the virtual world of Second Life, or spoiling his grand nephew.
