'Beauty and the Beast' Gets a Release Date as Emma Thompson Joins the Cast!

The live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast adds two more to the cast. And they are biggies!

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On Monday, Disney announced that Emma Thompson will join the cast as Mrs. Potts, most famously voiced by Angela Lansbury in the Oscar-nominated, animated version. The actress is no stranger to the world of Disney, as she played Mary Poppins author and creator P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks.

Also adding Oscar pedigree to the cast is Kevin Kline, who will star as Belle’s father, Maurice.

The two stars join a growing cast, including Emma Watson as Belle, Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as the beast, with Luke Evans and Josh Gad playing Gaston and his sidekick Lefou, respectively.

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In addition to the casting news, Disney also confirmed that the Bill Condon-directed film will hit theaters in 3D on March 17, 2017. Yes, two long years to practice every musical number from the 1991 animated version.