This year marks the 30th anniversary of the beloved animated classic Beauty and the Beast, and Disney+ is celebrating the occasion by expanding the beloved tale. The streaming service has officially greenlit a Beauty and the Beast musical prequel limited series.
The eight-episode event will take place years before Belle and the Beast cross paths. Instead, it will follow Gaston and LeFou on an epic adventure that uncovers secrets about the kingdom they call home. Luke Evans and Josh Gad will reprise their respective roles from the 2017 live-action adaptation. It will also introduce Briana Middleton as LeFou’s stepsister, Tilly.
Gad developed, wrote, and executive-produced the series alongside Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, who are known for their work on the ABC fantasy-drama series Once Upon a Time. The series will boast an original soundtrack from the EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken, with the first episode’s lyrics written by his frequent collaborator and Oscar winner Glenn Slater. Production is scheduled to start in spring 2022.
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“For anyone who’s ever wondered how a brute like Gaston and a goof like LeFou could have ever become friends and partners, or how a mystical enchantress came to cast that fateful spell on the prince-turned-beast, this series will finally provide those answers… and provoke a whole new set of questions,” Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television, said in a statement.
Disney+ president Michael Paull added, “We can’t wait to welcome our guests back to the magical and musical world of Beauty and the Beast for an all new chapter with LeFou, Gaston, and a fantastic new cast of characters.”
We’ll see if the idea that LeFou is gay, something represented by a single dance moment in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, carries into the series. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for more news about this backstory to the tale as old as time.
If you’ve been feeling nostalgic during quarantine, then Gad has got your back. His pandemic charity series Reunited Apart brought together the casts of such beloved movies as Wayne’s World, Ghostbusters, Lord of the Rings,The Goonies,Back to the Future, and The Princess Bride.
