Disney is working on a live-action film centered on Gaston, the antagonist from 'Beauty and the Beast.' The project will be written by David Callaham, known for 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.' No director has been attached yet, and plot details remain unconfirmed.
Overview
Disney has announced the development of a live-action spinoff movie titled 'Gaston,' focusing on the boastful villain from the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' tale. Gaston, the arrogant hunter who relentlessly pursues Belle, will take center stage in this new project. The screenplay is being penned by David Callaham, whose previous credits include the Marvel hit 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and the MonsterVerse entry 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.'
Background on the Character and Franchise
Introduced in Disney's 1991 animated 'Beauty and the Beast,' which became the studio's highest-grossing animated film at the time, Gaston is remembered for his over-the-top bravado and the iconic song where he boasts about eating five dozen eggs daily to maintain his hulking physique. The 2017 live-action adaptation, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Luke Evans as Gaston, was a box-office success, grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide. However, Evans is not expected to reprise his role, as Disney aims for a fresh interpretation with a new actor.
The original story, based on the French fairy tale, follows Belle as she breaks a curse transforming a prince into the Beast and his servants into household objects. Disney has had varied success with live-action remakes: while 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Lion King' (2019), and 'Aladdin' (2019) were billion-dollar hits, recent efforts like 'Snow White' underperformed.
Future Prospects
This spinoff joins other villain-focused or reimagined projects at Disney, such as an origin story for Cruella from '101 Dalmatians' and upcoming live-action adaptations of 'Tangled' and a Prince Charming film directed by Paul King of 'Wonka' fame. No release date or further casting details have been revealed for 'Gaston.'
