Just like ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live, Disney will give Beauty and the Beast a special treatment of their own, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The two-hour, live-action/animated special will feature a new cast and air December 15 on ABC and then be available to stream on Disney+ December 16. Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Wicked) is on board to executive produce the project, which will be directed by Hamish Hamilton, who directed 2019’s The Little Mermaid Live.
“Beauty and the Beast is a timeless story and we’re so fortunate to work with creative mastermind Jon M. Chu and veteran director Hamish Hamilton to bring a modern twist to this beloved classic for an unforgettable night of Disney magic. Stacked with unforgettable performances, this will be a must-see special event for fans of the original and for the new generation being introduced to this cherished tale.”
Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment
The special titled Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration will feature never-before-seen musical performances, new sets and costumes inspired by the classic story. Each performance, ABC says, will pay homage to the original animated favorite while also adding to its iconic story. Songs from the original animated classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios.
“Beauty and the Beast was always a game-changing cinematic experience for me. When the animated movie came out, I watched it multiple times in the first weekend. It showed me the outer limits of what animated artists and storytellers could achieve, so the fact that I get to executive produce a tribute to all the creatives that made this masterpiece through our Electric Somewhere company is a dream I didn’t even think was possible. With world-class creatives and talent to reinterpret the classic musical numbers (with a few surprises), I can’t wait for the audiences, in person and at home, to experience what we have in store for them. It’s a true celebration of creativity.”
Jon M. Chu
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration is executive produced by Chu, who currently has an overall deal at Disney, and Hamilton’s Done and Dusted Productions, Walt Disney Television Alternative, Caitlin Foito, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft, and Katy Mullan.
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