'Beauty and the Beast' Producer Don Hahn: "Bill Condon is pretty brilliant"

In a recent interview with Collider, Don Hahn, who produced such Disney classics as The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, discussed Bill Condon's upcoming live-action remake and the excitement of reinventing stories.

Are you taking the same approach with the live-action Beauty and the Beast?

HAHN: Beauty is 25 years old next year, so it’s ripe for reinvention, and the Broadway version reinvented it. Bill Condon is pretty brilliant, and the cast that he put together is amazing. It’s an odd place for me because I feel like it’s very important to reinvent it. Intellectually, I know that. And then, on the other hand, it’s my baby. But, I would never want to go see that. If you want to see the exact same film, put in the original film. I’m excited about it. I’m excited because reinvention is not only what Hollywood lives on, but it’s what we live on, as human beings. Walt Disney was the ultimate storyteller. Through it all, he let stories carry the day. His stories drove his whole life, including the character of Walt that he created. So, it’s about reinvention and about doing it in a fresh way.

What do you think will most surprise people about this version of Beauty and the Beast?

HAHN: Oh, I don’t know. It’s too soon to tell. It’s too early. Ask me in March of 2017.

Click here to read the entire interview.