Disney is hoping that audiences will want to be guests for a live-action Beauty and the Beast spinoff.
The studio is developing Gaston, a feature based on the story’s villain character, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Plot details have not yet been disclosed for the movie that is still in early stages.
Dave Callaham penned the latest draft for the live-action film after Kate Herron and Briony Redman worked on a previous one. Michelle Rejwan is set to produce.
Adapted from a French fairy tale, the original Beauty and the Beast was a sensation when it hit theaters in 1991, becoming Disney’s highest-grossing animated title at the time. The story focuses on Belle, a young woman agreeing to live with an arrogant prince who has been transformed into a monster and has a limited time to earn the true love that will break his spell. It won two Oscars from six nominations and holds the distinction as the first animated movie ever nominated for best picture.
Richard White voiced Gaston in the animated film. The studio released Bill Condon’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast in 2017, with Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, and Luke Evans as Gaston. That movie surpassed $1.26 billion at the global box office.
Disney has recently continued to prioritize live-action remakes of its classic animated properties. This includes a live-action take on Tangled being back in active development after THR reported in April that the film’s progress had been paused in light of Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot’s live-action Snow White underperforming at the box office. Since then, Disney had a massive hit with the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, while Barry Jenkins’ prequel movie Mufasa: The Lion King also had a strong showing when it debuted late last year.
The studio has had success over the years with live-action spinoffs focusing on villains from its animated movies. This includes 2014’s Angelina Jolie-led Maleficent, highlighting the antagonist from Sleeping Beauty, and Emma Stone starring in 2021’s Cruella as the villainous Cruella de Vil from the 101 Dalmatians franchise.
Deadline was first to report on the project.
Ryan Gajewski
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