Beauty and the Beast: Gaston and LeFou

[estefan]

Weird remark. Feels like the ongoing nostalgia for the Disney Renaissance films and the massive box-office success of the live-action Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin indicate people do still retain an enthusiasm for Alan Menken songs. "Cruella" also made over $200 million in the middle of a pandemic, proving there remains audience interest in these live-action takes on Disney's animated properties.

[Disney's Divinity]

The future of a property that was already incredibly successful on its own depending on the success of a completely unrelated one doesn't make much sense to me, but I guess that's Disney for you.

This is exactly why I take the way the remakes are done seriously. If they change everything to the point it's stupid, then the remake bombs and the original property takes a hit in the company's estimation--and perhaps the public's perception, too? You see that with what's happened with Mulan--compare her merchandise from this year to last year before the remake combusted on impact with audiences who wanted something more like what they were sold (a live-action take on the original film they liked). They were also thinking of a musical for Mulan, those ideas were abandoned after the remake's performance, never mind the remake was nothing like the original (it wasn't even a musical, for that matter) and its floppage should be blamed on the remake's decisions, the original property takes a hit because Disney would rather make excuses, thinking that people just don't like the original as much as they thought rather than looking in the mirror at their piss-poor decision-making.

It's actually not too different than what happened to hand-drawn animation, how they refused to accept that some of their movies just weren't good or that they had focused too much on pursuing one, very unreliable demo (young boys) rather than blaming the whole medium for their missteps. Thankfully, I believe TLM (the original) is massive enough to withstand its remake being a stinker ( same with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), but something like Mulan, which was a step down from the Fab Four in popularity, took a hit from their cutting the comedy, Mushu, and songs out of the remake (as well as giving Mulan superpowers and a witch villain, WTH....). Hercules was even more removed from the Fab Four than Mulan was, which means that property will take an even bigger hit if they screw it up by cutting the music and the Muses out of that film as it sounds like they're thinking of doing.

It's sad they screwed up so royally, because, aside from the Fab Four themselves, Mulan had the best shot of jumpstarting a franchise from the Renaissance films other than Tarzan--which, apparently, they're not willing to pay up for the rights for to re-make?? Pocahontas was a controversy quagmire waiting to happen that they would never be willing to touch today, same reason it's never got a musical despite its music being so great, whereas Hunchback and Hercules re-makes would be lucky to simply be moderately successful. Starting franchises wouldn't be likely for either one of them beyond that.

[Disney's Divinity]

I had a random thought just now that perhaps the cancellation of this project had something to do with LeFou being a LGBT character, considering Josh Gad recently made a comment about the character's portrayal and all that. A new series couldn't help but keep the comical innuendo of LeFou partially in love with Gaston going now and again. I can believe that may have been the reason, because this was cancelled before the recent controversy that reversed a lot of their stances... If so, I hope that means they will reverse course with this, too (having allowed Nimona to be released, moved Love, Victor to Disney+, refused to censor Dr. Strange's sequel or Lightyear, etc.). I wish they'd reverse course on The Owl House as well, since that show was not ended because of ratings....

[blackcauldron85]

I think you might be onto something. But surely the team has moved onto other projects (I mean, for some roles they could replace them, but the lead actors, the writers, Alan Menken...). But maybe in the future they all would be able to find time again.

Nimona wasn't saved by Disney though, it was saved by Netflix.

[Disney's Divinity]

I have to disagree with you there. Netflix may be releasing the film and helping to finish it, but that's only because Disney allowed it. Disney could've easily kept the film vaulted for eternity if they had wanted.

[blackcauldron85]

^ Oh, you're right- I hadn't even thought of that.

[D82]

Luke Evans says Beauty and the Beast spin-off series 'is gonna happen': 'It's just on hold'
https://ew.com/tv/luke-evans-beauty-and ... na-happen/

[Disney's Divinity]

Good to hear!