Be our guest, Disney! News broke on Wednesday evening, June 4, that the movie studio plans to revisit the classic Beauty and the Beast, adapting the animated flick for an upcoming live-action movie.
The announcement comes after Disney's Maleficent made its successful debut in theaters this past weekend. The Angelina Jolie-starring live take on the story of Sleeping Beauty has already grossed $183 million at the international box office. After bowing on May 30, Maleficent made $69.4 million domestically on its opening weekend.
The profit undoubtedly encouraged Disney in its choice to pursue another modern spin on an animated classic.
According to Variety, Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Jungle Book 2, The Lion King 1 1/2) will pen the script to Beauty and the Beast, and Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn) has been tapped to direct.
Disney's original Beauty and the Beast hit theaters in November 1991 and was a massive box office success. Operating on a $25 million budget, the fairy tale earned a total of $424.97 million globally. Beauty and the Beast was also a critical hit, taking home two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes.
Past ventures by Disney into the live-action world include 2010's Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska, and 2013's Oz: The Great and Powerful with James Franco and Mila Kunis.
