Four (four!) new adaptations of Beauty and the Beast are going to be hitting screens both big and small in the near future. Because if there's anything Hollywood knows how to do, it's take a concept that's working and flood the market with knockoffs until you can't bear it anymore.
SO:
1. Capitalizing on the success of Once Upon a Time, ABC will be giving us its take on Beauty and the Beast... EW reports ABCs version as
"A fantastical reimagining of the classic fairy tale set in a mythical, dangerous world wherein a beautiful and tough princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast."with whom she forges an alliance in the hopes of preventing a rebellion.
Cast includes:
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| Ruth Bradley as Grace, aka Beauty |
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| Alan Dale as the Emporer |
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| Christopher Egan as I'm going to guess he's our Gaston |
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| Colin Lawrence as Yanta Mho. I have know idea who Yanta Mho is, but just look at him... |
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| Karen LeBlanc as Ehren, a rebel faction leader |
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| Darius Campbell as Shiro, aka The Beast! |
A whole bunch of other people have been cast, too, which you can find out about here.
2. The CW will also be presenting its version of BatB, but this time with a different tried-and-true formula - a reboot of the 1980's version of the tv show that starred Linda Hamilton and this guy, that they claim is Ron Perlman underneath:
The CW's reboot will be
"Loosely based on the CBS’ Beauty and the Beast series from the 1980s, this is a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist." (EW)I never watched the 80's version (mostly because I was a child in the 80's and I stuck with the real thing then. #talkinaboutpicturebooksyo), but I have to say I find the idea of a reboot with a procedural twist intriguing. Then again, it's not working out so well for Grimm, which started strong and is flatlining, so...guess we'll see.
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| Beauty |
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| Um, Beast? |
Deadline gives all sorts of juicy deets on the reboot, which starts Kristen Kreuk and Jay Ryan, saying it "centers on Catherine (Kreuk), a tough-minded NYPD homicide detective haunted by witnessing her mother’s murder nine years ago and the killers’ quick demise at the hands of a Beast. After years of searching, Catherine finally finds the Beast, Vincent Koslow, the survivor of a military experiment that went disastrously wrong, and becomes the protector of his secret life as a superhero."
3. On the big screen, Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) will be presenting his most likely bloody and brain-twisty take on BatB. There's not a lot of info on this one yet, but I think this may be the one I'm most excited about, because if there's anyone as obsessed with fairy tales - and their darker sides - as me, it's GDT. Plus, what we do know (via The Hollywood Reporter) of it all screams awesome:
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- It's a take on Robin McKinley's BatB version, Beauty (though it's "evolved" beyond that...)
- It will star Emma Watson (!!) in the main role
- Andrew Davies (who writes every damn thing I like) is attached as the writer.
- GDT is both producer and director. Also, man of general awesome.
4. There's also going to be a French movie version (which is fitting, as the original author was a french lady with a really long name); it will star Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel - and that's about all I know...
So, looking forward to any of these? Is it too much, or just enough? And which are on your Must Watch list? Personally, I find it a little silly that this many BatBs are coming out in such a short time period, but I love it all the same and intend to watch every one of them, and love every minute.
So, looking forward to any of these? Is it too much, or just enough? And which are on your Must Watch list? Personally, I find it a little silly that this many BatBs are coming out in such a short time period, but I love it all the same and intend to watch every one of them, and love every minute.
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wow! Can't wait to watch all of these. I absolutely love Once Upon A Time. Same with CW, it's sounds like its going to be a really good series.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Belle "becomes the protector of his secret life as a superhero," is a bit much for me.
ReplyDeleteWonderful news! Hoo-ray!
ReplyDeleteOMG! If Guillermo del Toro is doing one, THAT'S the one I'm dying to see!
ReplyDeleteMelanie ~ Me too. I cringed.
ReplyDeleteJuju & Ana ~ Right?!
Becky ~ RIGHT?!?! I am geeked.
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite main-stream fairy tale so I'm gonna go with NOT TOO MUCH IN THE SLIGHTEST! Most of these I hadn't even heard of, but I will now be stalking ALL of them. Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
ReplyDeleteAlso, by the way, found your blog through the Fairy Tale Fortnight and I think it's a great feature! Fairy Tales can get overlooked as overdone or too kiddie and I think FTF has done a great job of showing that they're so much more than that. Plus, ya know, it's my favorite genre, so it didn't take much to convince me that you're awesome :) Thanks!
Haha! Thanks, Anne. :)
ReplyDeleteEmma mothereffing Watson in Beauty and the Beast? Count me in!!!
ReplyDelete- Jackie
I've been dying for the Guillermo del Toro version ever since I first heard of it...it is so not happening fast enough for me. I had heard of the CW's reboot, but not of the other two! So apparently this is the year of Snow White, and next will be the year of B&tB
ReplyDeleteB&B is my all time favorite fairy tale, so... yeah, pretty much not excited at all for any of these. :p Seriously though, the GDT version just keeps getting better and better for me. Did not know it was "a take on Robin McKinley's" version! *Squeal* Only my most favorite book version ever! Plus the brilliant GDT, Andrew Davies, AND Emma Watson? Um, yeah, SERIOUS anticipation and expectation on that one. Will probably watch the others because they're B&B, but Kristin Kreuk really irritated me in Smallville. Hopefully her acting has improved. And yes, I did watch the 80s version. Ron Perlman = legend! The other TV version intrigues me. Sounds like a different take on B&B than we've seen before.
ReplyDeleteSorry this comment is so long. I could gush about B&B forever.... :)
Oh man...I'm sooo excited MY fav fairy tale is getting some more airtime. There's been a bit much Snow White, ya know? ;o) LOL! No hard feelings, I'm a fairy tale junkie at heart :o)
ReplyDeleteThe CW series sounds fun. Different. The Beast as a superhero...I could kinda dig that. It's weird, but quite possibly a workable weird. Will wait and see...
I've heard rumors about the Emma Watson B&B for a while now -- definitely want more information to show up on this one! I love McKinley's Beauty, so that seriously intrigues me. And I'm with you on the Andrew Davies-writer thing...This has much potential!
On the one hand I'm really excited about Guillermo del Toro's version of BatB (if you've seen Pan's Labyrinth, you'll know why ;)). On the other hand I'm also interested in the french version, which will be directed by Christophe Gans, who directed Brotherhood of the Wolves. It's said that his BatB will stay at the original fairy tale and it'll become very visual.
ReplyDelete