Casting UPDATE For 'Beauty and the Beast' Special Coming to ABC

We’ve been taking you along with us at the D23 Expo for all the big news drops (there have been MANY!), and now we have another update!

So far we’ve heard all kinds of announcements at the D23 Expo, such as Disney’s upcoming film Wish, the new Disney+ series ‘Iwájú’, Pixar’s Inside Out sequel, and lots more, and we also learned a BIG casting detail about the live-action musical version of Beauty and the Beast coming soon to ABC!

Later this year, The Wonderful World of Disney will present a two-hour live-action production called Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, scheduled to be recorded in front of a live audience and aired the next day on ABC on December 15th. On December 16th, this production will be available on Disney+.

Deadline reported that legendary singer Josh Groban will play the role of the Beast opposite H.E.R. as Belle, which was previously announced. Gaston will be played by Joshua Henry and Rita Moreno will perform as the narrator, with Jon M. Chu serving as executive producer and Hamish Hamilton as director. You may remember Groban’s recording of “Evermore” on 2017’s Beauty and the Beast soundtrack, so this isn’t his first experience with the classic story!

Beauty and the Beast was released in 1991 and it was the first animated film to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. It took home the Oscars for Best Original Song and Best Original Score. This production will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film!

If you’re looking for more Disney content to watch on Disney+, you can now stream Thor: Love and Thunder and the live-action version of Pinocchio too!

Don’t forget to keep following along with AllEars as we take you with us through the D23 Expo!