A 'Beauty and the Beast' Live Special Is Coming to ABC

If Beauty and the Beast is your favorite Disney movie, then we have some exciting news for you!

Belle and Beast Topiary at EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

There are a few ways you can experience Beauty and the Beast in the Disney parks. You can catch the Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or you can head to Magic Kingdom and dine in the Beast’s castle at Be Our Guest, or step into Gaston’s Tavern and enjoy LeFou’s Brew and a huge cinnamon roll. With a big anniversary of the animated classic quickly approaching, Disney just announced that a Beauty and the Beast special will be coming to ABC later this year!

Set to air on December 15th on ABC, the Beauty and the Beast special will be two hours long and will be a mix of both animation and live action, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It will be directed by Hamish Hamilton (who also directed The Little Mermaid Live on ABC) and executive produced by Jon M. Chu (director of In The Heights).

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

The animated movie came out in 1991 (making this year the 31st anniversary of the film itself), but this year marks the 30th anniversary of when Beauty and the Beast became the first animated movie to receive an Academy Award nomination for best picture. It won the Oscar for Best Original Score and the song “Beauty and the Beast” won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

©Disney

The full name for the special is Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration and it will feature new musical performances, as well as new sets and costumes. Songs from the original movie will be performed live in front of a live audience at Disney Studios. It will air on ABC on December 15th, and will be available to stream on Disney+ the following day, December 16th.

Looking for something to watch in the meantime? There are eight Marvel movies you should watch before Thor: Love and Thunder comes out in a few days, and The Princess starring Joey King is available to watch now! As always, make sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney movie news!