With The Little Mermaid Live!‘s Flounder puppet still swimming around in our nightmares, ABC is looking ahead to its next live-action TV adaptation of a beloved Disney property. (Hint: It’s the one with the dancing forks.)
Hamish Hamilton will direct a live-action/animation hybrid production of Beauty and the Beast, TVLine has confirmed. Jon M. Chu, director of the upcoming Wicked movie, has been tapped to executive-produce. The event — which will air Thursday, Dec. 15 on ABC, then will be available to stream on Disney+ the next day — is in celebration of the film’s 30th(ish) anniversary.
“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,” Craig Erwich, Present of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, said in a statement. “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.”
Beauty and the Beast was released in theaters in 1991, winning Academy Awards for Best Original Song (“Be Our Guest”) and Best Original Score. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, though it lost to Silence of the Lambs. A live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the titular lovers, hit theaters in 2017.
Additional information, including the cast, will be announced in the coming months.
Are you excited for ABC’s live-action take on Beauty and the Beast Live? Are you scared? A healthy mix of both? However you’re feeling, drop a comment with your thoughts below.