Scribe brought on for live action take.
British screenwriter Joe Ahearne, who most recently worked on Danny Boyle’s forthcoming psychological thriller ‘Trance,’ has been tapped by Disney to provide the script for a live-action re-imagining of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ titled ‘The Beast.’
The move should come as no surprise following the success the studio has had with ‘Oz : The Great & Powerful’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and as Deadline points out, the hiring of Ahearne would indicate that Disney is looking for a grittier take on the classic fairy tale.
Originating from fairy tales and folklore, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was first published in 1740. The tale has been adapted to the big screen numerous times, most notably Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film and the 1991 Disney animation.
As revealed back in 2011, Warner Bros. is also developing a live-action adaptation of the fairy tale, and has Guillermo Del Toro attached to direct and Emma Watson set to star.