Disney has found their beauty. In a press release this morning, Disney announced that British actress Emma Watson has been cast in the title role of their upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast feature. Watson herself declared her enthusiasm on Facebook already, saying:
I’m finally able to tell you… that I will be playing Belle in Disney’s new live-action Beauty and the Beast! It was such a big part of my growing up, it almost feels surreal that I’ll get to dance to ‘Be Our Guest’ and sing ‘Something There.’ My six year old self is on the ceiling – heart bursting. Time to start some singing lessons. I can’t wait for you to see it!
As evidenced from her quote, this Beauty and the Beast is going to be a live-action remake of the 1991 Disney animated musical which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Bill Condon is slated to direct, and the film is currently has no set release date. Beauty and the Beast follows in a run of other live-action adaptations and reboots of Disney animated classics, a new subgenre that now includes Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, and the upcoming Cinderella. Neither Snow White and the Huntsman nor Mirror, Mirror (both Snow White tales) were produced by Disney.
There is no word yet as to whom will play the Beast, or if he will be achieved through CGI.
Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. You can follow him on “Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
