Disney’s new “Beauty and the Beast” movie is already setting records, and it hasn’t even opened yet.
The new live-action reboot of the fairy tale classic, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast, is breaking records in advance ticket sales and is now the fastest-selling family film in history, according to online ticket seller Fandango.
It’s beating “Finding Dory,” the previous family film record holder in advance ticket sales, Fandango reported, and could boast a $120 million opening weekend, if the pace of presales continues.
"'Beauty' is a beast in presales, and I think it's going to surprise a lot of people," Fandango managing editor Erik Davis told Entertainment Weekly.
"It's looking bigger than most Disney live-action adaptations, like 'The Jungle Book,' 'Cinderella' or 'Maleficent.'"
Davis also said the film’s presales are rivaling those of a superhero action movies like “Captain America: Civil War.
But the movie is also stirring up some controversy. Disney recently revealed that villain Gaston’s sidekick LeFou is gay, prompting a theater in Alabama to ban the movie remake.
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The movie’s cast of heavy hitters also includes Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan, Kevin Kline, Luke Evans and Stanley Tucci.
The film opens in theaters on March 17.
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