Disney has enjoyed  success with its recent live-action reimaginings; Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book have all performed well in theaters, and The Jungle Book has come in for particular critical acclaim. Even Alice Through the Looking Glass, which is widely regarded as a box office dud, has still contributed to the House of Mouse’s success with its fairy tale retellings, which have now grossed over $3.5 billion at the box office together.

It’s looking increasingly likely that Disney’s newest reimagining, Beauty and the Beast, will eclipse all of the aforementioned films though, with opening weekend takings predictions ever increasing. In fact, the live-action musical could even soar high enough to set a new opening weekend record, according to the latest projections.

Deadline is reporting that the remake of the 1991 animated classic, Beauty and the Beast is likely to take $100 million at the box office in its opening weekend, with some estimates rising as high as $120 million. Widely considered to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Beauty and the Beast is almost certain to outstrip the March opening weekend takings of the Tim Burton-directed Alice in Wonderland, which earned Disney $116.1 million in its first few days. That movie currently stands at the third biggest March opening for a movie, while Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice holds the record with $166 million.

The news of Beauty and the Beast’s imminent box office success is hardly a surprise; its trailers have been viewed millions of times, and hype surrounding the movie is huge. This is, after all, a remake of a much-loved classic, with a wonderful musical score, starring a wealth of A-list celebrities. Excitement is only continuing to build with the stars of the movie embarking on its press tour; Deadline also report that Beauty and the Beast’s Facebook following grew by 48,000, just on Tuesday alone.

The intensity of advance sales and overall anticipation for Beauty and the Beast is easily on a par with that of a high profile superhero movie, and reaction to all trailers and clips released so far have been highly favorable. Allegedly, it’s mainly women who express interest in the movie, but undoubtedly Beauty and the Beast will cover all genres and age-groups; even those too young to remember the original movie’s release will still most likely have seen Beauty and the Beast on DVD.

The added bonus of Emma Watson already having played one of the most iconic female characters of all time will surely give this movie a boost too - not that it needed one; its songs and highly stylized production are enough to sell themselves on their own. The question is; will Beauty and the Beast live up to the hype?

Source: Deadline

  • Beauty and the Beast Release Date: 2017-03-17