Another sacred property is up for remake folks, but before you roll your eyes, be still… be still, I say! Now we all know that the recent live-action Jungle Book remake was awesome, Kervyn literally did a Baloo and forgot all the worries of this life after watching it at IMAX, and then he remembered he worked with Trevor… (We also know that there is ANOTHER live-action Jungle Book directed by none other than Andy Serkis coming in 2018, which is monkey business I say (see what I did there)).
It would seem that Disney, not content with dominating in the superhero genre with Marvel movie, has been going back to to their roots lately with a string of successful live-action reimaginings of their animated classics, like Cinderella and Maleficent. And this time their roots are taking them back to 1991 with a contemporary remake of the massively popular Beauty and the Beast. Let me warn you though, this is the least spoilerific teaser I have ever seen. Seriously, I think after watching it I know LESS about the adaptation than I did going in! It sure does look pretty though!
Have a watch below.
Come on! Sir Ian McKellen gets to call someone a fool again, and this time it isn’t a hobbit!
The original animation was directed by and Kirk Wise and they did such a brilliant job that when I visited Disney a few years later I refused to kick the teapot, but that may have also been because the porcelain annoyance was voiced by the late Angela Lansbury. This time round Academy Award Winner Bill Condon, the man behind huge hits like The Twilight Saga: Breaking Yawn (both parts) and Dreamgirls, will helm the project. Before you balk at the seemingly odd choice for director, the rest of the cast more than makes up for it. Firstly we have composer Alan Menken returning, a chap who picked up two golden statues for the first film (and 8 over his career). Joining him once again is also Howard Ashman and both will record new versions of their much-loved-songs with a few thrown in for good measure.
Joining this formidable team will be some serious voice acting talent. Feast your eyes, you beasts! Emma Watson will star as Belle (not THAT Belle), Dan Stevens the Beast (an odd choice if you ask me but I have high, Ryan Gosling-type hopes for him) Luke Evans (Gaston), Kevin Kline (Maurice), Ewan McGregor (Lumiere, the candelabra) Stanley Tucci (Maestro Cadenza), Audra McDonald (Madame Garderobe), Sir Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts. Breath! Now come on, what’s happening here? That is some cast, eh?
I am pretty excited about this, I my siblings loved the cartoon version and with a cast like this I am hopeful for something great.
Also, is it me or did someone throw a whole bunch of dust into the room as those last piano notes fell? Damn allergies!
Last Updated: May 26, 2016
Schrödinger's Bandicoot
September 6, 2018 at 05:06
“voiced by the late Angela Lansbury”? Please note that Angela is still very much alive in 2018, long after this article was written in 2016. Perhaps you’re getting your timelines confused.