ABC will celebrate Beauty and the Beast in December with Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.
The network on Monday revealed a two-hour animated and live-action blended special will air Thursday, December 15.
Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), who is currently in an overall deal with Disney Television Studios, is set to executive produce, with Hamish Hamilton set to direct.
The talented cast, whose performances will be seamlessly woven through the original feature film, will be announced at a later date.
The special presentation includes live never-before-seen musical performances and features brand-new sets and breathtaking costumes inspired by the classic story.
Each performance is created to pay homage while also adding to the iconic story for viewers at home. Songs from the original animated classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios.
“‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a timeless story and we’re so fortunate to work with creative mastermind Jon M. Chu and veteran director Hamish Hamilton to bring a modern twist to this beloved classic for an unforgettable night of Disney magic,” said Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.
“Stacked with unforgettable performances, this will be a must-see special event for fans of the original and for the new generation being introduced to this cherished tale.”
“‘Beauty and the Beast’ was always a game-changing cinematic experience for me,” said executive producer Jon M. Chu.
“When the animated movie came out, I watched it multiple times in the first weekend.”
“It showed me the outer limits of what animated artists and storytellers could achieve, so the fact that I get to executive produce a tribute to all the creatives that made this masterpiece through our Electric Somewhere company is a dream I didn’t even think was possible.”
“With world-class creatives and talent to reinterpret the classic musical numbers (with a few surprises), I can’t wait for the audiences, in person and at home, to experience what we have in store for them. It’s a true celebration of creativity.”
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.