Earlier today, we showed you a first look atEmma Watson’s Belle andDan Stevens’s Beast in Disney’s highly-anticipated adaptation ofBeauty and the Beast, along with new photos. Now we have yet another photo, which hints that there will be some changes to this “tale as old as time.” We also have even more details from Belle herself,Emma Watson, who teases that this live-action adaptation will give fans more insight into this iconic character’s back story.
In the originalanimated classic, all we know about Belle at the start of the story is that she is a big reader, while her father Maurice is trying to sell his latest invention, an automatic wood-chopping machine. Maurice becomes imprisoned in the Beast’s castle while trying to sell this device, but in this new photo fromEntertainment Weekly, we seeEmma Watson’s Belle andKevin Kline’s Maurice, but we learn that it’s actually Belle who is the inventor, with her father Maurice actually building her inventions, music boxes. Here’s whatEmma Watsonhad to say.
“In the animated movie, it’s her father who is the inventor, and we actually co-opted that forBelle. I was like, ‘Well, there was never very much information or detail at the beginning of the story as to why Belle didn’t fit in, other than she liked books. Also what is she doing with her time?’ So, we created a backstory for her, which was that she had invented a kind of washing machine, so that, instead of doing laundry, she could sit and use that time to read instead. So, yeah, we made Belle an inventor.”
The music boxes also play another pivotal role in the story. Set decoratorKate Spencerreveals that Belle is “overprotected” by her father, because she lost her mother. According toKate Spencer, the music boxes represent the world Belle is missing out on. Here’s what she had to say.
“Kevin Klineas Maurice, is making all these music boxes that have to tell the story of Belle not traveling,” says the film’s set decorator, Katie Spencer. “She’s overprotected in a way, by her father, because she’s lost her mother. So, we’ve made all these music boxes that represent different countries of the world, so she can see what she’s missing.”
Thefirst trailerdebuted back in May, shattering a record held byStar Wars: The Force Awakens. TheBeauty and the Beasttrailer was viewed a whopping 91.8 million times in the first 24 hours, breaking the record of 88 million views set byStar Wars: The Force Awakens. Take a look at the new photo fromBeauty and the Beastbelow, featuringEmma WatsonandKevin Kline.
