Disney announces Dan Stevens as the Beast to Emma Watson's Beauty

For two months we've waited to learn who will fill the coveted shoes of the Beast that will have the privilege of sweeping Emma Watson off her feet. The mystery is no more. Downtown Abbey alum, Dan Stevens, will star alongside Watson in Disney's live action version of Beauty and the Beast renamed Beauty.

Emma congratulated her future costar tweeting:

The highly sought-after role will be one of Stevens' biggest yet. He last starred in The Guest, Adam Wingard's action thriller, The Hollywood Reporter shared.

The actor expressed his excitement to fans via Twitter, sharing this image:

It was announced only yesterday that The Hobbit's Luke Evans will play the movie's famed villain, Gaston. Evans is accustomed to playing the bad guy after starring as such in both Universal’s Dracula Untold and Fast and Furious 6, Variety reports.

Bill Condon is set to direct what so far appears to be an all-British cast produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. The script was written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and rewritten by The Perks of Being a Wallflower's Steve Chbosky.

Beauty will be one of many classic tales Disney plans to remake with Cinderella, starring Lily James, opening next Friday. Also in the works are 3-D retellings of The Jungle Book and Pete’s Dragon, according to Variety. Disney appears to be off to a great start with last year's Maleficent, a live-action take on Sleeping Beauty starring Angelina Jolie, grossing $758.4 million worldwide.

Beauty will tell the story of a young woman who takes her father's place as a prisoner in a monstrous being's castle, only to fall in love with the creature, who turns out to be a prince. In the original tale, Gaston was the handsome antagonist who tried to win Belle’s heart and, after losing it to the beast, led a group of townspeople on a hunt to kill the creature.

The studio’s original 1991 animated feature version of Beauty and the Beast grossed more than $375 million worldwide and received a best picture Oscar nomination.

Disney has not confirmed whether the film will be a musical. However, after her casting, Watson implied such in a Facebook post writing, "It was such a big part of my growing up, it almost feels surreal that I'll get to dance to 'Be Our Guest' and sing 'Something There.' ... Time to start some singing lessons," The Celebrity Cafe reported.

Image courtesy of INF photo

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