Summary
Beauty and the Beaststar Luke Evans provides a disappointing update on the Gaston and LeFou prequel series. Evans and Josh Gad had previously signed on to reprise their respective roles as Gaston and LeFou from Disney’s 2017 live-actionBeauty and the Beastfor aDisney+ seriesset before the movie’s events.Once Upon A Timeshowrunners Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis and legendary composer Alan Menken were involved in the development of the project.
While speaking withOutmagazine,Evans has now revealed that theBeauty and the Beastprequel series is"sadly…not on the table.“He did not go into further detail on why the Disney+ series is no longer moving forward, although the update comes after years of developments and delays for the long-gestating project. While Disney+ continues to expand its live-action adaptations of animated stories with several projects, includingLilo & StitchandMoana, the plannedBeauty and the Beastprequel will not be joining them.
Further Controversy & Narrative Pitfalls May Have Been Difficult To Avoid
Evans and Gad delivered strong performances as Gaston and LeFou in 2017’sBeauty and the Beast, and their involvement, along with that of Menken, Horowitz, and Kitsis, could have led to a promising Disney+ series. Even if the prequel did come to fruition, it may have struggled with several issues, with one being the controversy of LeFou being touted asDisney’s first openly gay characterbefore the film’s theatrical release. Criticism followed about thelackluster representation that amounted to no more than a brief shot of LeFou dancing with another man.
In addition to this issue, the prequel may have struggled with the fact that while its lead characters are amusing together, they are ultimately unlikable individuals who are unable to meaningfully develop beforeBeauty and the Beast.
While the prequel could have found ways to significantly improve on the failed promise of the live-action film, any attempts to do so would likely have felt disingenuous. There are more compelling stories featuring openly LGBTQIA+ characters Disney can explore further in the future. In addition to this issue, the prequel may have struggled with the fact that while its lead characters are amusing together,they are ultimately unlikable individuals who are unable to meaningfully develop beforeBeauty and the Beast.
What Time Period Beauty And The Beast Is Set In (It’s Later Than You Think)
Disney’s animated classic, Beauty and the Beast, takes place in a much later time period than many fans of this Disney Princess film might expect.
Gaston is notBeauty and the Beast’s hero, but instead a villain, with LeFou being the unappreciated, bumbling sidekick mistreated by Gaston.This negative dynamic would become difficult to sustain with Gaston and LeFou as the prequel’s protagonistsand neither character grows as a person given where they stand at the beginning ofBeauty and the Beast. Evans and Gad are talented actors, but their talents may have been wasted on a story that would have been challenging to execute.
Beauty and the Beast
Cast
Beauty and the Beast is a 2017 live-action adaptation of Disney’s classic animated film. It tells the story of a cursed prince, transformed into a beast, who must earn the love of a beautiful young woman to break the spell. The film blends romance, fantasy, and music in a timeless narrative.
