Little Town [ABC Signature/Disney - 202?]

WhiteQueen a écrit:

Eh bé, après l'univers étendu de Star Wars, on peut vraiment parler d'univers étendu pour le film d'animation de 1991 entre les prequels, le film live action et cette série. Quelque part, je trouve ça vraiment dingue qu'en l'espace de 10 ans, on en soit arrivé à une telle production en chaîne de spin-off de films d'animation. C'est la preuve que Disney, plus que jamais, souhaite atteindre une cible bien plus vaste que les enfants.

Entièrement d'accord ! Ils s'élargissent pour agrandir leur public. Ce que je trouve dommage, c'est que Walt Disney a toujours voulu faire rêver petits et grands et que les adultes de nos jours aient besoin de tous ces à côté pour "assumer" regarder Disney. Alors bien sûr, je ne parle de personne ici puisque vous êtes fans de Disney. Mais on a tous dans notre entourage, des gens pour qui Disney = bébé. Donc je trouve ça dommage d'avoir à en arriver là et ne pas savoir garder sa part d'enfant une fois adulte. Ceci dit, si ça peut faire évoluer les mentalités vis-àvis de Disney, c'est un mal pour un bien.

Pour en revenir à cette série... Je ne suis pas convaincue. J'adore la Belle et la Bête de 1991. J'ai détesté le film au cinéma. Je l'ai mieux aimé récemment. Mais j'en reste sur... Bof. J'en attendais plus. Surtout Gaston que j'ai trouvé surjoué ! Moins charismatique et amusant que celui de l'animation. Le Fou, je l'ai trouvé plus humain et plus attachant à suivre mais sans être entièrement convaincue.

Donc pourquoi pas... Après, en apprendre davantage sur les personnages et l'histoire, si ces révélations sont d'origines, oui je suis plutôt preneuse.

Je suis persuadé que je vais aimer cette série davantage que le film de 2017 puisqu'on aura droit à une histoire originale et à plusieurs chansons inédites de Menken. Beaucoup plus excitant qu'un remake copié-collé quoiqu'il en soit.

Ce qui me gêne, c'est que La Belle et la Bête n'est pas du tout une histoire "à univers". Je ne trouve pas que ce soit fait pour s'étendre et se centrer sur d'autres personnages, ça n'a même pas d'intérêt de rattacher ça à La Belle et la Bête. Et le fait de raccrocher ça au remake est encore plus absurde, selon moi (ça fait trop "dérivé de dérivé"). Même si je suis d'accord, c'est toujours plus intéressant de suivre un scénario original.

Il faudra "s'attendre à l'inattendue" selon Josh Gad.

Variety a écrit:

Josh Gad Addresses LeFou’s Sexuality on Disney Plus’ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Prequel Series: ‘Expect the Unexpected’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Queer Disney fans raised a rainbow flag in 2017 when it was revealed that in the Bill Condon-directed live-action adaptation of the animated hit “Beauty and the Beast,” LeFou — played by Josh Gad — was gay. Now the big question is, will LeFou be gay in the upcoming “Beauty and the Beast” Disney Plus series? That project revolves around the friendship between LeFou and Gaston (Luke Evans). More specifically, because it’s a prequel, will a storyline include LeFou’s coming-out journey?

“You’re going to have to tune in when this show airs to see what we’re working up, but in the process of working on it, we’re asking ourselves every relevant question about these characters and endeavoring to do right by them and by this world,” Gad says on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “I think that we have origin stories here that are unbelievably exciting because they’re unexpected. And I think ‘expect the unexpected’ is all I can really say. And not just with regard to LeFou and Gaston but to a lot of the new characters that we’re introducing.”

Gad cracked that he has to get fit before playing LeFou again after seeing Evans’ thirst-trap photos on Instagram: “It requires me to get in the gym fairly soon because I’ve seen pictures of my co-star online. And let’s just say it ain’t great what I’m working with in terms of the most shredded man in show business.”

Josh Gad qui a hâte de "retourner à la taverne avec Luke Evans".

joshgad a écrit:

Can’t wait to get back into the Tavern with @thereallukeevans - #BeautyAndTheBeast Prequel coming soon

Dans le dernier podcast D23 Inside Disney (à partir de 12:24), Luke Evans parle du retour de Gaston, du live-action Pinocchio, ainsi que de Nine Perfect Strangers qui arrivera sur Hulu (Amazon Prime en France).

Comment j'ai hâte de voir cette série. Le synopsis proposait est particulier. On sait que Gaston est une brute et je me demande comment ils vont faire pour le rendre réellement sympathique. Après bien entendu, le personnage principal n'est pas forcément quelqu'un de bon, mais nous sommes chez Disney et si le type est réellement mauvais, misogyne, une brute quoi, je ne sais pas. Après j'espère seulement que les scénaristes n'essayeront pas de rendre trop sympathique le personnage ou bien entendu de donner une raison étrange au comportement du personnage dans la Belle et la Bête. Bon après j'espère avoir réellement des surprises concernant les mystères entourant l'univers de la Belle et de son amoureux. L'ajout d'un nouveau personnage n'est en rien choquant, c'est normal d'avoir de nouveaux personnages dans une extension d'un univers existant et j'ai hâte d'en savoir plus la concernant. Hâte vraiment

Josh Gad continue d'entretenir l'intérêt en partageant une photo souvenir avec Luke Evans datant du tournage de La Belle et la Bête :

Fra Fee rejoint la série dans le rôle du Prince Benoit Berlioz, un ami d'enfance de Tilly (la demi-sœur de Le Fou).

Variety a écrit:

‘Hawkeye’ Alum Fra Fee Joins ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Prequel Series at Disney Plus (EXCLUSIVE)

Fra Fee is staying in business with Disney Plus with a role in the upcoming “Beauty and the Beast” prequel series, Variety has learned exclusively.

The live-action musical series was ordered at the streamer in June 2021. It stars Luke Evans and Josh Gad, who will reprise the roles of Gaston and LeFou (Louie) respectively from the 2017 live-action “Beauty and the Beast” film. In addition, newcomer Briana Middleton will play Tilly, Louie’s stepsister. Set in the iconic kingdom of “Beauty and the Beast” years before the Beast and Belle’s romance, the series will follow Gaston and LeFou as they set off with Tilly after a surprising revelation from her past comes to light, sending the trio off on an unexpected journey.

Fee will star as Prince Benoit Berlioz, a childhood friend of Tilly’s who has grown into a handsome, charismatic, confident prince.

Fee was most recently seen in the Marvel-Disney Plus series “Hawkeye” in the role of Kazi Kazimierczak, a member of the Tracksuit Mafia and close friend of Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo. He also recently appeared in the Acorn TV series “Dalgliesh.” On the big screen, Fee is known for his roles in the live-action “Cinderella” starring Camila Cabello as well as the 2012 adaptation of “Les Misérables,” “Pixie” opposite Olivia Cooke, and “Animals” opposite Alia Shawkat among others.

He is repped by Paradigm, Untitled Enteratinment, Dalzell and Beresford, and Goodman Genow.

Disney Plus has given the “Beauty and the Beast” series an eight-episode order. It was developed, executive produced and written by Gad, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz with each serving as a co-showrunner. Evans will also executive produce in addition to starring. Liesl Tommy, the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and the director of “Respect,” will executive produce and will direct the first episode. The project will also feature an original soundtrack from the legendary composer Alan Menken, who will also serve as executive producer. The lyrics for the first episode will be by Glenn Slater. Production will begin in spring 2022. ABC Signature will produce.

Jelani Alladin est également annoncé. Il sera Jean-Michel, un artiste talentueux à l'esprit vif.

Deadline a écrit:

Jelani Alladin Joins Luke Evans & Josh Gad In ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Prequel Series At Disney+

EXCLUSIVE: Jelani Alladin (The Walking Dead: World Beyond) is set as a series regular in Disney+’s upcoming Beauty and the Beast (working title) prequel series, joining previously announced Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Briana Middleton and Fra Fee.

The eight-episode limited musical series, a prequel to the 2017 live-action film, was developed and written by Gad and Once Upon a Time creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, with the trio serving as executive producers/co-showrunners. Tony Award-nominated director Liesl Tommy (Respect, Eclipsed) executive produces and directs the pilot.

Set in the iconic kingdom of Beauty and the Beast years before the Beast and Belle’s epic romance, the series will follow Gaston (Evans) and LeFou (Gad) as they set off with LeFou’s step-sister, Tilly (Middleton), after a surprising revelation from her past comes to light, sending the unlikely trio off on an unexpected journey filled with romance, comedy, and adventure. While the mysteries of the past are uncovered and the dangers of the present grow, old friends and new enemies reveal that this familiar kingdom harbors many secrets.

Alladin will play Jean-Michel. Charming. Cool. A talented artist who has a quick wit, a sharp intellect, and a fierce independent streak.

Alladin most recently co-starred in The Walking Dead: World Beyond for AMC while also appearing on Law & Order: SVU as well as FBI. He also starred on Broadway as Kristoff in Disney’s Frozen, earning both Drama Desk and Drama League nominations for his performance. He is currently filming the independent feature, Beneath the Fold and will next be seen co-starring in the Billy Porter directed musical, The Life, at Encores! City Center. Alladin is repped by Industry Entertainment, Buchwald, and Goodman, Genow, Schnekman, Smelkinson & Christopher.

Le tournage devrait débuter au printemps.

Merci pour ces nouvelles. A voir à voir donc ce que ça va donner. Je suis curieuse et me laisserais sûrement tenter. J'aime beaucoup découvrir les dérivés de la Belle et la Bête, bien qu'ils ne soient pas tous réussis...

La chanteuse britannique Rita Ora rejoint également la série préquelle.
Elle jouera une fugitive aux capacités surprenantes qui porte avec elle un secret qui pourrait potentiellement affecter tout un royaume.

Deadline Hollywood a écrit:

‘Beauty And The Beast’: Rita Ora Joins Disney+ Prequel Series

British pop star Rita Ora is joining Disney+’s Beauty and the Beast prequel series.

Ora, who is best known for pop hits such as Your Song and Anywhere, will play a fugitive with surprising abilities who carries with her a secret that could potentially affect an entire kingdom in the eight-episode limited musical series.

A regular fixture on British musical reality series, Ora has previously starred in Fifty Shades of Grey as well as starring as the Artful Dodger in 2021 feature film Twist.

She joins Luke Evans and Josh Gad, who are reprising their roles as Gaston and LeFou. Briana Middleton, Fra Fee and Jelani Alladin also star.

2022 Disney+ Pilots & Series Orders

Beauty and the Beast was developed and written by Gad and Once Upon a Time creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, with the trio serving as executive producers/co-showrunners.

Set in the iconic kingdom of Beauty and the Beast years before the Beast and Belle’s epic romance, the series will follow Gaston (Evans) and LeFou (Gad) as they set off with LeFou’s step-sister, Tilly (Middleton), after a surprising revelation from her past comes to light, sending the unlikely trio off on an unexpected journey filled with romance, comedy, and adventure. While the mysteries of the past are uncovered and the dangers of the present grow, old friends and new enemies reveal that this familiar kingdom harbors many secrets.

Tony Award-nominated director Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed) will direct the first episode. EGOT Award-winning composer Alan Menken, who scored both the 1991 and 2017 Beauty and the Beast movies, is writing the soundtrack of the series, with lyrics for the first episode by Oscar-nominee Glenn Slater (Tangled). Tommy, Menken and Evans are also executive producing.

Beauty and the Beast is from Disney Branded Television and ABC Signature. Production will begin in spring 2022.

Je ne connais pas du tout. J'aurais l'occasion de la découvrir dans la série de cette manière. A voir si son rôle m'intéressera. Il y a toujours des personnages que j'aime mieux suivre que d'autres  

The Hollywood Reporter révèle que Disney a suspendu le spin-off musical en raison de retards avec des éléments créatifs et des problèmes de planifications avec sa distribution.
Le projet n'est pas pour autant annulé et devrait bel et bien voir le jour, mais il n'est pas clair si les membres du casting, y compris Josh Gad et Luke Evans, seront disponibles quand (et si) cela se produira.



La production devait commencer ce printemps mais a été repoussée à l'été dans le but de filmer par beau temps en Europe. Des sources notent que certains éléments créatifs n'étaient pas assez avancés pour tenir compte de ce calendrier. Les défis de planning avec le casting sont également un facteur, certains ayant d'autres projets dès le mois d'août. La fenêtre de disponibilité se rétrécissant, Disney a alors choisi de suspendre la série pour le moment.

The Hollywood Reporter a écrit:

‘Beauty and the Beast’ Prequel Series Put on Hold at Disney+

A delay with creative elements and scheduling challenges has forced the streamer to delay the feature film spinoff starring Josh Gad and Luke Evans.

Beauty and the Beast’s TV spinoff has hit a speed bump.

Disney+ has put its musical prequel spinoff from its 2017 feature film on hold amid delays with creative elements and scheduling challenges with its cast. Sources close to the streamer say the show will eventually be made though it’s unclear if the cast, including film stars Josh Gad and Luke Evans, will be available when (and if) that comes to pass.

As THR exclusively reported in March 2020, the project was developed as a six-episode series that would feature Gad and Evans reprising their roles as Gaston and LeFou, respectively, in an origin story for the beloved characters. The show was picked up to series with an eight-episode order in June 2021 with Briana Middleton (The Tender Bar) cast as LeFou’s stepsister, Tilly.

Production on the show was set to begin this spring but pushed to the summer in Europe in a bid to film in beautiful weather. Sources note that some creative elements were not far enough along to accommodate that timeline. Scheduling challenges with the cast also are a factor as some talent had hard outs for other projects beginning in August. With the window of availability shrinking, Disney+ has opted to put the series on hold for the time being. The pandemic, it’s worth noting, has made scheduling a considerable challenge as actors, writers, directors and factors like soundstage and location availability was turned upside down following the industry-wide production shutdown in 2020.

Still, Disney decided against postponing the current timeline because of weather constraints in the U.K. as sources note few wanted the cheery musical to be filmed in gloomy weather.

The news comes days after Disney+ announced that British pop star Rita Ora was set to join the cast of the series, which also was to feature Fra Fee and Jelani Alladin. It’s unclear if the current cast will be able to return when and if a new timeline opens up.

Gad, who was set to serve as showrunner alongside Once Upon a Time creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, has a packed schedule with a central voice role in Apple’s animated comedy Central Park and stars in Peacock’s Wolf Like Me. Evans, who next appears in the live-action Pinocchio for Disney, has Apple’s Echo 3 lined up, among other projects.

Gad, Kitsis, Horowitz and EGOT-winner Alan Menken were all signed on to exec produce the Beauty and the Beast prequel, with the latter set to compose the soundtrack. Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed, Respect) was attached to direct the pilot. Evans was to be credited as an exec producer. Gad, Kitsis and Horowitz were all involved in writing the scripts. ABC Signature is the studio.

Kitsis and Horowitz remain based at ABC Signature with a sizable overall deal. The Beauty and the Beast prequel stemmed from Kitsis and Horowitz’s time working with Gad on the scrapped Muppets Live Another Day comedy series that was in the works for months at Disney+. The trio created the project, which was to be an eight-episode limited series that took place after the events of Muppets Take Manhattan. Conversations about the untitled Beauty and the Beast prequel began shortly after the trio decided to depart Muppets.

All told, Kitsis and Horowitz have had a rough go of it in recent months with their Muppets take at Disney+ and Apple’s Amazing Stories order shrinking from 10 episodes to five.

Disney+ has had its fair share of creative stumbles since its launch a couple years ago, with Muppets as well as fairy tale themed drama Book of Enchantment and the Lizzie McGuire revival all imploding before coming to fruition.

Released in 2017, the live-action Beauty and the Beast feature grossed more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. It was slated to become the latest Disney intellectual property to get the TV series treatment at the streamer, joining a growing slate of Marvel and Star Wars titles as well as Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., High School Musical, National Treasure, The Santa Clause, Willow, Swiss Family Robinson, Percy Jackson, The Sandlot, Turner & Hooch and The Mighty Ducks, among others.

Josh Gad et Luke Evans ont confirmé la nouvelle via Twitter.

De quoi facilement repousser d'un an.

Comment la communication de Disney peut-être aussi catastrophique autour de sa plateforme ? Ça devient une blague a ce niveau là d’amateurisme …
Cette semaine Disney annonce en grande pompe que Rita Ora rejoint le casting de la série prequelle de La Belle et la Bête. On avait aucune nouvelle de ce projet depuis un moment. Et quelques jours plus tard on apprend que le production de cette série est repoussée indéfiniment du fait de conflits logistiques et d’agendas. Pourquoi avoir fait cette annonce de casting, qui relance l’intérêt autour de la série ?! L’article de The Hollywood Reporter indique que le projet n’est plus assuré …

Eh bien dis donc ! C'est de mal en pis... Il n'y a plus qu'à attendre... Ou à l'oublier pour le moment. Ce n'est pas terrible les annonces Disney en ce moment :/

Selon Luke Evans, le projet n'est pas annulé. "Nous voulons juste nous assurer que c'est absolument le meilleur possible, et si cela signifie que nous devons juste attendre un peu plus longtemps pour peaufiner certains éléments, alors c'est ce que nous allons faire car c'est un héritage très important."

"Nous voulons honorer ces personnages avec la meilleure histoire que nous puissions livrer. C'est juste en attente. Cela va arriver. Nous sommes très excités à ce sujet. À un moment donné dans un proche avenir, cela arrivera."

"Nous nous sommes demandés ce que ce serait de plonger dans le passé de Gaston et LeFou, comment ils se sont rencontrés, qui ils étaient et pourquoi ils sont devenus les personnes que nous rencontrons dans le film que nous connaissons et aimons tous ? Cela a ouvert plusieurs boîtes de Pandore", se souvient Evans. "Naviguer dans l'histoire de ces deux hommes et aussi de nouveaux personnages, puis les amener jusqu'au moment où vous les rencontrez dans le film a été une expérience passionnante. Il y a beaucoup de possibilités. C'est donc là que nous avons été jusqu'ici et où nous espérons aller à l'avenir."

La Belle et la Bête (2017) a fait couler pas mal d'encre lorsqu'il a été révélé que LeFou était gay, et beaucoup ont estimé que cet élément avait été anecdotique. Josh Gad a également estimé que ça n'était pas allé pas assez loin. Lorsqu'on lui a demandé si cet élément est quelque chose qu'il espère voir exploré dans la série préquelle, Luke Evans a répondu : "Qui sait ? Je ne suis pas sûr."

"Il y a tellement de choses sur ces deux personnages que nous ne savons pas vraiment, sur leurs origines", note-t-il. "Est-ce qu'ils ont toujours été ces personnes ou étaient-ils différents? C'est un peu comme si personne ne naissait mauvais. Des choses arrivent, vous prenez de mauvaises décisions ou vous choisissez de prendre une décision qui affecte le reste de votre vie. Je pense que c'est là que nous allions avec l'idée et le concept. J'espère donc qu'un jour prochain nous serons en mesure de vous livrer cette histoire."

Entertainment Weekly a écrit:

Luke Evans says Beauty and the Beast spin-off series 'is gonna happen': 'It's just on hold'

"We just wanna make sure that it is absolutely the best it can be, and if that means we just have to wait a little longer to finesse certain pieces of it, then that's what we're going to do because this is a very important legacy."

Once upon a time, Luke Evans and Josh Gad had plans to reprise their Disney roles from the live-action Beauty and the Beast for a Gaston- and LeFou-centric spin-off series on Disney+. Then, abruptly at the start of the year, the project was indefinitely put on hold.

Evans, sitting down over Zoom with EW for his new film Pinocchio, promises the series will happen.

"It's been put on hold. We just wanna make sure that it is absolutely the best it can be, and if that means we just have to wait a little longer to finesse certain pieces of it, then that's what we're going to do because this is a very important legacy," the actor from Nine Perfect Strangers and The Alienist says. "We want to honor these characters with the best story we can possibly deliver. It's just on hold. It is gonna happen. We're very excited about it. At some point in the near future, it will happen."

Evans says he and Gad talk all the time. They had always wanted to work together, and then when Beauty and the Beast, the film, happened, they were looking for something else to partner on. "We came up with the idea of, what would it be like to delve into the past of Gaston and LeFou and how they met and who they were and why they became the people that we meet in the movie that we all know and love? That opened up several cans of worms," Evans recalls. "To navigate a story of those two people and also new characters, and then bring them right up to the moment where you meet them in the movie has been a thrilling experience. There's a lot of ways it could go. So that's where we have been so far and where we hopefully will go to in the future."

The Emma Watson-led Beauty and the Beast of 2017 made waves when it was revealed that Gad's LeFou was gay in the film, though many critics, including the LGBTQ community at large, felt that element had been buried. Even Gad says he felt the moment didn't go far enough. When asked if this element is something he hopes will be explored in the prequel series, Evans, who is openly gay, says, "Who knows? I'm not sure."

"There's so many things about these two characters that we don't really know, about their origin stories," he notes. "Were they always these creatures or were they different? It's a bit like, no one's born bad. Things happen, you make wrong decisions, or you choose to make a decision that affects the rest of your life. I think that was where we were going with the idea and concept. So I hope one day soon we will be able to deliver that story for you guys."

For now, Evans can be seen on screen in another Disney production as the Coachman in Pinocchio. He was surprised to get the call from director Robert Zemeckis about joining the new film. He thought Beauty and the Beast was a one-and-done job with the Mouse House.