A prequel series to the 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast is currently in development for Disney+. But it won’t focus on the characters you might think. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the planned six-episode limited series will focus on Gaston and LeFou.
Both Luke Evans and Josh Gad will return as Gaston and LeFou, respectively. No story details are known just yet, as the project is still in early development. But the report states it will take place well before the classic story while also expanding on the Beauty and the Beast universe.
Once Upon A Time creators, Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, will act as showrunners as will star Josh Gad. The trio will also write the series together. Evans will executive produce alongside the three of them. Just like Beauty and the Beast, the as-of-now untitled series will also be a musical. Composer Alan Menken is currently in talks to return.
Though the film starred Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast, neither are signed on to reprise their roles in the series. However, one of The Hollywood Reporter’s sources tells them it’s possible either could appear in a guest role.
The idea of a Beauty and the Beast prequel series apparently grew out of the failed Muppets Disney+ reboot. Kitsis and Horowitz were working on the series with Gad before the project was scrapped. It’s nice to see that their partnership could continue after Muppets couldn’t get off the ground.
Beauty and the Beast was one of the more warmly-received live-action remakes Disney has put out. So it isn’t surprising to see a project explore those characters further. And with Gad’s positive relationship with Disney (he also voices Olaf in Frozen), as well as Kitsis’ and Horowitz’s affinity for adapting fairy tales, this should be another hit for the House of Mouse.
