Disney+ is bringing back Luke Evans and Josh Gad as Gaston and LeFou, reprising their roles in a TV series that will serve as a prequel to the 2017 live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.”
The six-episode series, currently in early development, will be a musical and take place well before the events of “Beauty and the Beast,” an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap. Gad and Evans are the only stars from the 2017 film attached to the project as of now.
“Once Upon a Time” creators Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are spearheading the new series, with composer Alan Menkin a possibility to return as well. Kitsis and Horowtiz, who are currently leading Apple TV+’s reboot of “Amazing Stories,” (more on that here) will serve as showrunners alongside Gad. The three were previously working together on a Muppets series for Disney+, “Muppets Live Another Day,” that did not end up going forward. ABC Signature Studios is the studio on the untitled “Beauty and the Beast” series.
“Beauty and the Beast” grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office and follows a long line of Disney IPs to get the series treatment for the nascent streaming service.
Disney is developing either revivals or reboots of classic titles like “Turner and Hooch,” “The Sandlot,” “The Mighty Ducks” and “Lizzie McGuire” (though the latter is currently stalled). Marvel is developing a slew of series, many of which will star big-screen characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Pixar has a “Monsters Inc.” series, “Monsters at Work.” Disney+ also launched with a TV series adaptation of “High School Musical,” which has been renewed for a second season.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported on the news of the “Beauty of the Beast” series.