Condon’s decisions - to make the comic sidekick LeFou (Josh Gad) a gay character - prompted a media uproar before the film’s release, with some conservatives expressing outrage online and politicians in countries like Russia and Malaysia joining in.
Judgmental, ill-informed villagers with pitchforks reflect the current state of social media. It shows how the ostracism of someone who is different can feed anger and resentment. But the movie also is about looking past outer appearances to find inner beauty. Yes, “Beauty and the Beast” features a crooning candelabra and a talking teapot. Condon amplified some of the fairy tale’s themes to broaden its appeal beyond families. “Beauty and the Beast,” directed by Bill Condon, also benefited from strong reviews. After the animated “Beauty and the Beast” went dormant in the 1990s, the company’s Broadway division picked up the baton, tending a fan base with a hit musical. (New versions of “Dumbo,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Mulan” and “The Lion King,” among others, are on the way.) The turnout also reflects the expert manner in which Disney keeps characters alive over time. The blockbuster opening validates Disney’s decision to remake its classic animated films as live-action event movies, something that has rankled some critics. Notably for a PG-rated movie, extra-large-screen theaters like those operated by IMAX were packed. He added that the turnout also reflected nostalgia for Disney’s 1991 animated version of the fairy tale and the generational appeal of Emma Watson (Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” series), who plays Belle in the new version.Ībout 60 percent of the domestic audience was female. “The world is a pretty cynical place right now, and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ gave audiences an opportunity to go back to a time of innocence,” Greg Foster, chief executive of IMAX’s filmed entertainment, said by phone Sunday. The film cost roughly $300 million to make and market. Superman: Dawn of Justice” for the biggest March opening.Īnd talk about princess power: “Beauty and the Beast,” an old-fashioned musical that mixes live-action scenes with fully digital characters, collected an additional $180 million overseas, placing the movie on a path toward $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales by the end of its run, analysts said. That total broke multiple Hollywood records, including one set last year by “Batman v. With Disney’s promotional machinery running full tilt and the masses apparently caring little about the inclusion of a gay character, “Beauty and the Beast” arrived to an astounding $170 million in ticket sales at North American theaters over the weekend. LOS ANGELES - Belle just showed Batman who’s boss.