A Beauty and the Beast spin-off is in the works but it’s bad news for Luke Evans
A Gaston spinoff is in the works but not with Luke Evans according to reports. (Getty)
A Gaston spinoff is in the works but not with Luke Evans according to reports. (Getty)
“No one hits like Gaston,” is what Disney is hoping as they’re developing a live-action spin-off focusing on Beauty and the Beast‘s infamous villain.
Gaston, played by Luke Evans in the 2017 remake starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, is a brawny, muscular type who believes he can have any girl he fancies.
And, to be fair, most of the girls in the “provincial” town the Disney story is set would happily be with Gaston.
However, as we all know, Gaston goes for Belle, who falls in love with the Beast/Prince and the two end up happily ever after. Meanwhile, Gaston meets a sticky end.
On Monday (15 December), Variety reported that Disney are working on a live-action spin-off about Gaston. Details are slim but it’s reported that David Callaham is writing the script, with a director yet to be hired.
Variety has also reported that the film is set to provide a fresh take on the villain and that Evans “isn’t expected to reprise the role.”
The news is a stroke of bad luck for Evans, who was initially set to reprise the role of Gaston in a prequel series to Beauty and the Beast.
An eight-episode limited musical series was given the green light in 2021. Josh Gad was also set to reprise his role as Gaston’s manservant, LeFou, who was implied to be gay in the 2017 film.
Variety reported at the time that the show would follow Gaston and LeFou on an adventure with LeFou’s step-sister Tilly (Brianna Middleton).
The series, which was created by Once Upon a Time’s Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, with Respect‘s Liesl Tommy directing, was shelved in 2022. At the time Evans said: “We tried to make it all work but under the gun it wasn’t meant to be… for now,” indicating the issue was scheduling.
Earlier that year, Gad had said: “The scripts are incredible, the music is unbelievable, all-new songs by Alan Menken, we’re casting now.” The actor also said his character’s origin story is “unbelievably exciting.”
It’s unclear exactly if the newly announced spin-off will rework the previously shelved series or be an entirely new project.
The Gaston spinoff could follow in the footsteps of Disney’s Cruella, which told the origin story of the iconic 101 Dalmatians villain and starred Emma Stone.
Disney’s latest remake, Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler, comparatively flopped at the box office, making $205.7 million (£152.95 million) worldwide.
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