Beauty and the Beast prequel musical series at Disney+ put on hold
A Beauty and the Beast prequel series in the works at Disney+ has been put on pause.
The six-episode season was due to set before the events of the famous film focuses on Gaston and LeFou.
As reported by Deadline, production on the will not be moving forward at this time due to production delays and “for creative reasons”.
Luke Evans and Josh Gad were to reprise their respective roles as Gaston and LeFou from the 2017 live-action film.
Reacting to the news on Twitter, Gad wrote: “Sadly, ‘Tis true. We tried to make it all work but under the gun it wasn’t meant to be… for now. These characters and this story will live on, but sometimes the best intentions & reality collide & nothing can be done”
Joining the cast were Briana Middleton (The Tender Bar) as LeFou’s stepsister Tilly, Fra Fee (Hawkeye) as Prince Benoit Berlioz and Jelani Alladin (Frozen on Broadway) as Jean-Michel, as well as popstar Rita Ora.
Composer Alan Menken, who scored the original animated movie, was to return to write the music with lyrics from Tangled’s Glenn Slater.
Disney said the series “will follow Gaston and LeFou as they set off with LeFou’s step-sister, Tilly, after a surprising revelation from her past comes to light, sending the unlikely trio off on an unexpected journey filled with romance, comedy, and adventure.
“While the mysteries of the past are uncovered and the dangers of the present grow, old friends and new enemies reveal that this familiar kingdom harbors many secrets.”
Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television said previously: “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.”
Beauty and the Beast was first adapted by Disney in 1991 with an animated movie, which was nominated for seven Oscars, winning two.
A live action adaption in 2017 made over $1 billion at the box office while a stage musical version has played both Broadway and the West End.
