Ever since Disney peeled back the velvet curtain on its enchanting first teaser for Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast – a promo that would go on to smash records left, right and center – the Mouse House described its fantastical yarn as a tale as old as time.
The beloved 1991 original may stand as the primary source of inspiration – watch the two versions side by side and you’ll discover that, in some sequences, Condon’s reimagining is essentially a shot-for-shot remake – but Beauty and the Beast can be traced all the way back to Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s iconic fairytale from the late 18th century. Few properties can hold a candle (a Lumière?) to its historic legacy, but on March 17th, Disney and Bill Condon will introduce Beauty and the Beast like we’ve never seen them before.
Anchored by Dan Stevens and former Harry Potter star Emma Watson, Beauty and the Beast is packed to the rafters with top-tier talent, including Ewan McGregor (Lumière), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts), Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), Audra McDonald (Gaderobe) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette. However, in the film’s latest promo, it is Josh Gad (LeFou) and Luke Evans (the pompous Gaston) that take center stage, flexing their vocal chords in the process. Good Morning America premiered the clip earlier today, and you’ll find that the snippet begins around 2:42. Eager to lay eyes on a more comprehensive preview of Beast? The new international trailer (see below) ought to sate your appetite.
Beauty and the Beast will cordially invite moviegoers the world over to experience Bill Condon’s live-action reimagining on March 17th. It’s a release date it currently shares with 13 Minutes, twisted horror-thriller The Belko Experiment and, for those in North America, T2: Trainspotting.
