Beauty and the Beast Celebrates Its 30-Year Anniversary With Live-Action Special
It’s a tale as old as time, 30 years to be exact. The beloved Disney film Beauty and the Beast will celebrate its 30 years with a new live-action special.
Executively produced by Jon M. Chu and directed by Hamish Hamilton, the 2-hour celebration is a hybrid special that will feature performances in front of a live studio audience woven into the original animated movie. Sound familiar? That’s because we saw this same format to celebrate The Litte Mermaid’s 30-year anniversary back in 2019.
While each live performance is crafted to pay homage to the original film, fans should also expect a modern twist with new, never-before-seen musical performances, costumes, and sets.
In an interview with Deadline, Craig Erwich, President of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, stated, “‘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.”
EP Jon M. Chu was an avid fan of the original movie and was inspired by the exceptional production. Chu mentioned, “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.”
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration premieres on December 18 at 8 PM EST on ABC and the next day on Hulu.
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