Disney Gives Live-Action Beauty and the Beast A Release Date

Following the success of Maleficient and this weekend’s Cinderella, Disney has announced a release date for the live-action Beauty and the Beast film.

Beauty and the Beast will open March 17, 2017 starring Harry Potter‘s Emma Watson as Belle, and Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as the Beast.

Luke Evans will play the role of Gaston, Emma Thompson has been cast as Mrs. Potts, and Kevin Kline is playing Belle’s father, Maurice. 

Filming will begin this May in London at Shepperton Studios.

Bill Condon (Twilight) is directing, with a script by Stephen Chbosky; David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing; Alan Menken is scoring score the movie, which will feature new recordings of the original songs in addition to several new songs written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice.

Disney’s Cinderella grossed over $132 million globally in its first weekend debut including almost $68 million in the U.S.