Beauty and the Beast movie is the biggest rave on the Internet from what I can see. Wherever I go I see trailers, posters, pictures, interviews, etc. I also see discussions and comments about what fans are the most excited to see. However, whereas some people are happy about how faithful the remake appears to be to the animated original, there are some who think they are too similar.
I had the same concerns until I did some research online. Although it is largely faithful to the 1991 classic, there will be some changes and added ideas, some of which were suggested by the lovely Emma Watson, who portrays Belle, to make the heroine more feminist.
Below is a list of new ideas added to the movie:
1. There will be a new character named Cadenza, a grand piano portrayed by Stanley Tucci who is described as "neurotic."
2. There will be three new songs: "Our Song Lives On," "For Evermore," and "Days in the Sun."
3. Belle will be the inventor, not Maurice. Instead Maurice will be a music box constructor. In her background story, Belle invented a kind of washing machine so she could have more time to read.
4. The iconic yellow gown that Belle dances in will be a bit different. It will not have a corset because Emma Watson "did not want a dress that was corseted or impede her in any way."
5. Some lines will be added to the lyrics of "Gaston" that might be "risque" according to Luke Evans.
6. Belle wears boots instead of flats, probably another suggestion by Emma Watson to add practicality and feminism.
7. A picture shows Gaston and LeFou riding horses, which they did not do in the animated original.
8. It is possible that there will be more information about the curse and the Enchantress. I personally speculate this based on the fact that in the remake the Enchantress actually has a name, which is Agathe, and there are articles online pointing out a plot hole that would mean the Beast was only 11 years old when he was cursed.
9. The Beast's parents will apparently appear, with the king portrayed by Henry Garrett and the the queen by Harriett Jones. In the trailer, they are included in the portrait that is slashed by the Beast.
10. Apparently there will be a prologue instead of just a stained glass window telling the story like in the original. This may be where the King and Queen appear and Audra McDonald, who plays the Wardrobe, will sing a song right before the Prince is transformed into a beast.
11. Plumette and Wardrobe were Caucasian in the cartoon but in the remake they will be portrayed by African American actresses Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Audra McDonald, respectively.
12. According to Nerdist.com, it will be the King, not the Prince, that turns away the old beggar, revealed to be the Enchantress, in the prologue.
Although there are apparently complaints that this is too similar to the original, this evidence suggests there will be enough differences to keep the audience engaged and interested. I believe the remake has a decent balance between faithfulness to the cartoon and original ideas. Of course even if I didn't think so, I would still see it because Belle is my Disney Princess. I'm similar to her personality-wise and look-wise and I dressed up as her for Halloween twice as a kid. I am looking forward to seeing how the changes add to or subtract from the film's quality. Nothing will stop me from seeing it.
