WATCH: New on set interviews with the cast and crew of 'Beauty and the Beast'

'Beauty and the Beast' Press Tour Round-Up: London

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A #BTS look at the London launch of #BeautyAndTheBeast. #BeOurGuest pic.twitter.com/Wjy4rIHMFM

— Luke Evans (@TheRealLukevans) February 23, 2017

#Swarovski was live from the premiere of @Disney’s #BeautyAndTheBeast. pic.twitter.com/ahNYVcZYN0

— Swarovski (@swarovski) February 23, 2017

Belle, Beast, Lumiere & more enchant in eight new French character posters

The latest set of character posters feature Belle, Beast, and the enchanted objects, including a new look at Cadenza (Stanley Tucci). Check out all the previous Beauty and the Beast posters here.

New 'Beauty and the Beast' motion character posters

In addition to the new Beauty and the Beast character posters, Disney also released a set of motion posters highlighting the enchanting cast of the live-action film.

.@EmmaWatson is Belle. See more when our final trailer for #BeautyAndTheBeast debuts this Monday. pic.twitter.com/T4k2W6HOLt

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

.@thatdanstevens is the Beast. #BeautyAndTheBeast pic.twitter.com/xHDuen9cL2

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

.@TheRealLukevans is Gaston. #BeautyAndTheBeast pic.twitter.com/TDnieLleK6

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

.@joshgad is LeFou. #BeautyAndTheBeast. pic.twitter.com/mBZJ3cyxr9

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

Emma Thompson is Mrs. Potts. #BeautyAndTheBeast pic.twitter.com/YftQUWyKSW

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

.@mcgregor_ewan is Lumiere. #BeautyAndTheBeast. pic.twitter.com/dsrSMRJa3T

— DisneyMoviesAnywhere (@DisneyAnywhere) January 26, 2017

New character posters showcase 'Beauty and the Beast's enchanting cast

Disney debuted twelve new character posters this afternoon, including the Prince (Dan Stevens) in his royal celebration costume. Check out all the latest Beauty and the Beast posters here.

WATCH: Emma Thompson talks Mrs. Potts & sings 'Beauty and the Beast'

If the new photos from the upcoming Beauty and the Beast sneak peek were not enough to set you fan heart aflutter, then be prepared for all the emotions that come from hearing Emma Thompson sing a bit of the film's title song.

Thompson, who recently appeared on CTV's The Social, spoke about her "rigid and shiny" role as Mrs. Potts before breaking into song.


Below is a transcript of the video:

The Social: On that movie you worked with Emma Watson and you are working with her again on the live-action Beauty and the Beast. You're playing a teapot. You're playing Mrs. Potts.

Emma Thompson: I've always been big on crockery.

TS: How do you play a teapot?

ET: It's CGI. Let's face it, I'm a teapot in CGI for a long time and then you get turned back, so really it's a lot in the studio. But I did try to sound as rigid and shiny as possible.

TS: You sing, yes?

ET: Well, I sing Angela Lansbury's part as Mrs. Potts. It's "Tale as old as time...Beauty and the Beast."

Source: The Social via What Pamela Would Have Wanted , La Bella y la Bestia de Disney

First look at Luke Evans and Josh Gad in 'Beauty and the Beast' & more behind the scenes photos

Disney has been relatively stingy with what they have released from the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Besides the teaser trailer and a few behind the scenes photos, fans seen very little of the film...until now.

The upcoming 25th anniversary Blu-ray/ Digital HD release of the animated classic is not available until next month, but some lucky fans had early access to the new special features, including a sneak peek of the live-action film, through iTunes. According to a thread on Blu-ray.com, the featurette runs 1:23 and showcases "mostly a table read with the cast, B-roll of the sets and a few costume sketches with Bill Condon narrating."

Photos have also surfaced from the sneak peek, including our first look at Luke Evans as Gaston and Josh Gad as Le Fou in the Tavern. There are also images of Dan Stevens as the Prince, Luke Evans and company rehearsing "Gaston," as well as costume sketches, concept art of the enchanted objects, and more.

The 25th anniversary edition of Beauty and the Beast will be available September 6th on Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere and September 20th on Blu-ray. Find out more about the upcoming release here. 

B-roll footage of Luke Evans (Gaston) and Josh Gad (Le Fou) filming "Gaston."

Concept art of Lumiere (Ewan McGregor) and Cogsworth (Ian McKellen)

Dan Stevens as the Prince (Beast)

Concept art of Belle (Emma Watson)

Concept art of Gaston (Luke Evans)

Concept art of Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson)

Luke Evans (Gaston) and company during the London table read.
Concept art of the enchanted objects (Mrs. Potts, Chip, Garderobe, Cadenza) in the background.
From left to right: Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), Hattie Morahan (Agathe), Kevin Kline (Maurice), and Dan Stevens (Beast).

Dan Stevens (príncipe) Emma Watson (Bella) en imágenes detrás de las cámaras Crédito a @maconodom por las capturas. 🌹 #LaBellaylaBestia #Disney #BeautyandtheBeast #beautyandthebeast2017 #BillCondon #beautyandthebeastliveaction #BATB #disneyedit #batbedit #EmmaWatson #DanStevens #EwanMcgregor #EmmaThompson #LukeEvans #JoshGad #AudraMcdonald #GuguMbathaRaw #IanMckellen #StanleyTucci #KevinKline #HattieMorahan #labellaylabestia2017 #AlanMenken #HowardAshman #zoerainey #labellaelabestia #dieschöneunddasbiest #abelaeafera #alexisloizon #beautyandthebeast25anniversary

A photo posted by La Bella y la Bestia de Disney (@bellabestiason) on Aug 26, 2016 at 11:35am PDT

Dan Stevens (Beast) and Emma Watson (Belle) during the London table read.
Kevin Kline (Maurice) can also be seen to the left. 

La aldea en imágenes detrás de las cámaras Crédito a@maconodom por las capturas. 🌹 #LaBellaylaBestia #Disney #BeautyandtheBeast #beautyandthebeast2017 #BillCondon #beautyandthebeastliveaction #BATB #disneyedit #batbedit #EmmaWatson #DanStevens #EwanMcgregor #EmmaThompson #LukeEvans #JoshGad #AudraMcdonald #GuguMbathaRaw #IanMckellen #StanleyTucci #KevinKline #labellaylabestia2017 #AlanMenken #HowardAshman #zoerainey #labellaelabestia #dieschöneunddasbiest #abelaeafera #alexisloizon #beautyandthebeast25anniversary #25aniversario

A photo posted by La Bella y la Bestia de Disney (@bellabestiason) on Aug 26, 2016 at 11:38am PDT

Behind the scenes look at Belle's village.
Belle (Emma Watson) and Gaston (Luke Evans) can be seen near the top/center of the photo. 

Concept art of Belle's village

Belle and Gaston in the village

Belle's Village

Belle's Village

Emma Watson (Belle) in the recording studio

Source: Blu-ray.com,  La Bella y la Bestia de Disney, @maconodom, Beyond the Trailer

Countdown to 'Beauty and the Beast' #15

Magical Monday- Mickey's PhilharMagic at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

When trying to keep up with the hustle and bustle of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, it is easy for smaller attractions to take a back seat to the park's E-Ticket attractions. However, if you are a fan of Disney animated films, especially those released in the 90s, then Mickey's PhilharMagic is a must-see during your visit to the happiest place on earth!

Opening in October 2003, Mickey's PhilharMagic is located just behind Cinderella's castle in the Fantasyland area of Magic Kingdom. The 4D attraction features classic Disney characters, like Mickey and Donald, as well as characters from Aladdin, Fantasia, The Lion King, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. In the Beauty and the Beast sequence, Donald Duck takes Belle's place as the castle's hungry visitor, complete with a performance of "Be Our Guest" from Lumiere.


Throwback Thursday: “I have spent a lot of time considering the emotional life of crockery.”

Emma Thompson is no stranger to stepping into Angela Lansbury's shoes. Not only has Emma Thompson worked with the legendary actress on 2005's Nanny McPhee, but she also played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd in 2014, a role originated by Lansbury in 1979 on Broadway. As Mrs. Potts in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, Emma Thompson is once more stepping into one of Angela Lansbury's iconic roles and I'm sure we can all agree it will be marvelous!

Thompson spoke with Vulture last fall about Beauty and the Beast and following in Lansbury's footsteps:

“Imagine walking once more into Angela’s shoes!” Thompson mused. So, how did she inhabit Lansbury’s famous teapot? “I think I just had to make her as warm and round and scouting as possible,” Thompson said, adding with a laugh, “I have spent a lot of time considering the emotional life of crockery.”

Watch: Emma Thompson honors Angela Lansbury at the 2013 Governors Awards

Countdown to 'Beauty and the Beast' #5

Trivia Tuesday-Original Version of "Be Our Guest"

♫Yes, you're cold. Yes, you're wet, but we'll help you to forget. 

You won't know outside it's storming when the silverware's performing.♫

 

It is not uncommon for stories to go through many changes during the animation process and Disney's Beauty and the Beast is no exception. One significant change was the placement of the song "Be Our Guest," which originally appeared earlier in the film and was actually sung to Belle's father Maurice. After a screening of the film during production, Bruce Woodside, a member of the film's story team, suggested the song should be sung to Belle since she was the film's protagonist. The group agreed and lyricist Howard Ashman rewrote parts of the song while storyboards were altered to include Belle. Performed by Jerry Orbach (Lumiere) and Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Potts) in the film, "Be Our Guest" was one of three songs from Beauty and the Beast nominated for an Academy Award in 1992 (the film's title song took home the Oscar that year).

'Beauty and the Beast' News Round-Up #21

Stay up to date on all the latest Beauty and the Beast movie news by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Beauty and the Beast Movie News Posts:
Countdown to Beauty and the Beast

New interviews with Luke Evans, Emma Thompson & more


Luke Evans and Hugh Jackman sing 'Gaston' on The Jonathan Ross Show

Tweets and Photos:

If you could just hear this 93 piece orchestra playing the songs from Beauty and the Beast... It's Spine tingling #Abbeyroad #BATB #Gaston

A photo posted by thereallukevans (@thereallukevans) on Mar 2, 2016 at 2:22pm PST

New interviews with Luke Evans, Emma Thompson & more

Producer Don Hahn talks Beauty and the Beast with That's It LA

“We have Emma Watson playing Belle and this terrific cast with Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellan doing voices and being performers. It’s hard to go wrong. They’re all after the same great entertainment, good storytelling that’s appropriate for audiences today. The Beast is played by the coolest guy, Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey who I love. It’s perfect because he’s got this amazing heart for the role and he can do drama and the darker side of it too. So I just can’t say enough about the cast and the filmmakers on that one.”

 Luke Evans talks Beauty and the Beast with Total Magazine 

"Evans cites the 1991 Disney animation as one of his favourites due to the 'iconic' story and songs, which Condon's version will retain while adding several new toe-tappers. 'It's incredibly loyal to the story. All the music is there. I literally can't wait to see this. It's very exciting.'"

Conductor Michael Kosarin talks Beauty and the Beast with Animated Views

AV: Indeed, right now you’re working on the live-action film of Beauty And The Beast. Can you tell us a little about it?

MK: I’ve been working on that for over a year now, I guess. All the principal photography has been completed. Right now, we’re heading toward recording the first few songs for the film. The way we’ve been working on the film is that we record the vocals first to synth mock-ups. From that, we can change things like tempos. Obviously, when you’re in the digital realm, you can do all those things. And then we record the orchestra after that. So, we’re heading to London next month and we’re gonna have a 92-piece orchestra. Danny Troob has got the chance to re-invent his orchestrations for the existing songs. As for me, some of the most challenging, fun and rewarding things I’ve done have been to arrange the underscore for the shows that I’ve done with Alan. I’ve approached music from #1 – the dramatic point of view and #2 – the musical point of view. That’s what appeals to me so much in underscores. How do we accomplish this or that, or get from point A to point B and sound like it’s always been that way, from the dramatic, emotional point of view? And so Alan let me do this for the first time on a film, helping him write some of his underscore. So, right now I’m tackling the songs and the interstitial music on the songs. And that’s what’s occupying most of my days right now!

 Emma Thompson talks Beauty and the Beast with USA Today

Thompson also stars as a German mother opposite Brendan Gleeson in the World War II drama Alone in Berlin (slated for release this year) and takes on the iconic role of Mrs. Potts in a new version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (out March 17, 2017) directed by Bill Condon and starring Emma Watson.

Not only does she voice the enchanted animated teapot but Thompson reports she also has a bit of live-action work, too.

“I went from playing deeply distressed German house Fraulein to porcelain,” she says with a laugh. “That was not a journey I’ve made before, frankly.”

Luke Evans talks Gaston and Beauty and the Beast with Wales Online

Luke Evans on Beauty and the Beast: "It's like being in the theater. It's breathtaking."
Click here to see the full video from HeyUGuys.

Emma Thompson: “I have spent a lot of time considering the emotional life of crockery.”

In a new interview with Vulture, Emma Thompson discusses her approach to Mrs. Potts, as well as taking on another role made famous by Angela Lansbury.

For Disney’s forthcoming live-action take on Beauty and the Beast (due in 2017), Thompson lent her voice to the computer-generated teapot Mrs. Potts, played in the classic animated film by Angela Lansbury. It’s not the first time that the two actresses have been intertwined: Thompson enticed the Murder, She Wrote star to return to the big screen for her film Nanny McPhee, presented Lansbury with her honorary Oscar in 2013, and played one of Lansbury’s most famous roles, Mrs. Lovett, in a recent concert version of Sweeney Todd.

“Imagine walking once more into Angela’s shoes!” Thompson mused. So, how did she inhabit Lansbury’s famous teapot? “I think I just had to make her as warm and round and scouting as possible,” Thompson said, adding with a laugh, “I have spent a lot of time considering the emotional life of crockery.”

Click here to read the full interview.

Source: Vulture

"Meet the Actor" with Ian McKellen now available on iTunes

Ian McKellen recently appeared at the Regent Street Apple Store in London to take part in the "Meet the Actor" series and discuss his role in Mr. Holmes. While the event mostly focused on the upcoming Sherlock Holmes film, McKellen also discussed reuniting with director Bill Condon, Lord of the Rings, Shakespeare, and Beauty and the Beast.

The discussion about Beauty and the Beast begins around the 13:00 mark and the actor even breaks out into song with "Be Our Guest" and "Beauty and the Beast." In addition to McKellen serenading the audience, he also talks about singing with Ewan McGregor (Lumiere) and Emma Thompson, who, according to McKellen, plays a teapot "very convincingly" and has "a beautiful voice." He also briefly mentions Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, and Audra McDonald before the conversation turns back to Mr. Holmes.

Click here to listen to the podcast of the event.

Source: iTunes

Emma Thompson & Kevin Kline join 'Beauty and the Beast'

In addition to news of Beauty and the Beast's 2017 release date, Disney also announced two additional members of the cast this afternoon. Oscar winners Emma Thompson (Sense & Sensibility, Saving Mr. Banks) and Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) join the cast as Mrs. Potts and Belle's father, Maurice.

Beauty and the Beast alumnus Alan Menken will return to score the film, which will feature songs from the 1991 animated classic, as well as new songs written by Menken and Tim Rice. Production is set to begin this May at Shepperton Studios in London.

Source: The Laughing Place