Disney is inviting fans of “Beauty and the Beast” to be their guest for a television special to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film's release.
What Happened: The Walt Disney Company DIS classic animated film “Beauty and the Beast” was released in theaters on November 22, 1991. To celebrate the movie's anniversary, the studio is producing a two-hour TV special set to air on ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“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,” ABC Entertainment President Craig Erwich said.
Jon M. Chu, who previously worked on “In the Heights” and “Wicked,” is executive producing the special while Hamish Hamilton, known for working on the Emmys and Grammys and Super Bowl halftime shows, directs.
The production will be live-action and feature animation as well.
“Beauty and the Beast Live” is expected to air on ABC on Dec. 15, 2022. Disney+ subscribers will be able to watch the television special on Dec. 16, 2022.
Related Link: Disney Q2 Earnings Highlights - Parks Segment Up 110%, Disney+ Hits 137.7M Subs And More
Why It’s Important: “Beauty and the Beast” grossed $219 million domestically and $425 million worldwide when it was first released in 1991, according to data from BoxOfficeMojo. It went on to become the first animated film ever nominated for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards. While the film lost the top honor, it won Oscars for Best Score and Best Original Song.
The movie also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy, the first animated film to win the honor.
A live-action version of the movie starring Emma Watson was released in 2017. It grossed $504.5 million domestically and over $1.27 billion worldwide.
Disney has experimented with live-action versions of several of its animated classics in addition to live television specials.
In 2019, “The Little Mermaid Live” aired on ABC and had 9 million viewers.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
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