It’s par for the course, really: A film earns over a certain amount of money and a sequel is all but guaranteed.
Beauty And The Beast held its own at the top of the annual box office chart – with a whopping $1.3 billion total – until Star Wars: The Last Jedi toppled it from its throne just days before the end of 2017. Such an achievement does place Beauty And The Beast at number 10 in the ranking of all-time highest earners, though, and it’s one of only two films (the other being Titanic) in that top 10 that hasn’t had a sequel commissioned.
Granted, star Emma Watson has mentioned before that she’d jump at the chance to reprise her role as Disney’s Belle, but nothing has so far transpired. At the recent Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles, however, the actress was heard to hanker after a second Beauty And The Beast once more.
“I’m intrigued to see where the storyline goes after the Beast transforms. Anything could happen.”
To date, there’s been more than one suggestion for a follow-up movie. Watson herself has suggested that Belle might take up teaching and open the castle library to the public. It was also once put forth that a supporting character may receive the spinoff treatment.
Screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos reportedly confirmed that antagonist Gaston survived in his original draft and could therefore have gone on to lead his own follow-up film. However, that version of Beauty And The Beast was altered to more closely reflect the animated original.
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that another supporting character may become the lead in their own movie, though. Disney did the same for Maleficent, and is indeed set to follow the same route with a live-action Cruella de Vil film, starring Emma Stone.
Whichever form it takes, a sequel to Beauty And The Beast is practically inevitable at this point. Maybe it won’t be announced today, and maybe not tomorrow – but it will be soon. That’s just how Hollywood works.