“Beauty And The Beast” Prequel Disney+ Series On Hold
One of the most eagerly anticipated Disney+ series currently in development is “Beauty And The Beast”, which is set in the iconic kingdom of “Beauty and the Beast” years before Beast and Belle’s epic romance. The prequel series will follow Gaston and LeFou as they set off with LeFou’s stepsister, 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 harbours many secrets.
“Beauty And The Beast” will see Josh Gad and Luke Evans, return as Gaston and LeFou, along with Briana Middleton, Fra Fee and Jelani Alladin.
This series was initially revealed at the Investor Day event in 2020 and was officially greenlighted last summer, but now according to THR, the series has now been put on hold.
The delay is down to creative elements and scheduling challenges, which was due to begin filming this spring, but it’s been pushed back to the summer, in order to film in the better weather, since it’s a series they don’t want to film outdoors in the winter in Europe, because they want it to be a cheery musical. This delay might cause casting issues, as the delay in shooting, might impact on schedules.
Other issues, following the pandemic, also are a factor, as scheduling is much harder for talent, locations, crews, sets, etc., as studios ramp up production to get projects back on track.
They are also reporting that some of the show’s creative elements aren’t ready. This is why the series has been put on hold for the time being, while they sort out the issues. It doesn’t necessarily mean the series won’t be made.
What makes this news strange, is that earlier this week, Disney announced that Rita Ora had joined the upcoming “Beauty And The Beast” prequel series for Disney+. So it could be a last-minute decision to put the show on hold. It’s also worth noting that Disney hasn’t officially confirmed the delay.
“Beauty and the Beast” is executive produced by Gad, Kitsis, Horowitz, Menken and Tommy and produced by Evans. Gad, Kitsis and Horowitz are co-showrunners and writers for the limited series.
Disney+ has had many significant projects become delayed or cancelled, including a “Lizzie McQuire” revival and a “Muppets” series, that was being created by the “Beauty And The Beast” prequel creators and Josh Gad.
What do you think of this series being put on hold?