Very cool news as we head into the weekend: Sir Ian McKellen has been cast as Cogsworth in Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast.
As fans of the classic animated film know, Cogsworth is the clock who’s tight with Lumière and tries to create peace between Belle and her captor. Though Cogsworth is a time-keeping device throughout Disney’s animated tale, he turns into a human at the end after the Beast and Belle declare their love for one another. In human form he is the Prince’s butler.
Update: McKellen has now confirmed the news…
Excited to make @DisneyPictures debut w/ director Bill Condon & cast including @EmWatson, @TheRealLukevans. Hoping all goes like clockwork!
— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) April 13, 2015
Director Bill Condon and McKellen recently finished working together on the upcoming Sherlock Holmes film Mr. Holmes, depicting the legendary detective in his elder years (watch the trailer!). It’s nice to see the two are teaming up again for the new Disney movie.
It’ll be interesting to see who Disney and Condon cast to play Lumière, as the yet-to-be-revealed actor and McKellen will work together in a few memorable scenes.
McKellen joins an already stellar line up of cast members, including Emma Watson (Belle), Dan Stevens (The Beast), Luke Evans (Gaston), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts), Josh Gad (Le Fou), Kevin Kline (Maurice), and Audrda McDonald (The Wardrobe).
Beauty and the Beast hits theaters in March 17, 2017 under the direction of Bill Condon.
McKellen recently wrapped his role as Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. He will next be seen in the aforementioned Mr. Holmes, which opens in theaters this July.
Disney is in the midst of lining up several live-action retellings for the next few years. In recent weeks we’ve learned they’re developing live-acton retellings of Mulan, Winnie The Pooh, Dumbo, and Pinocchio.
Source: Variety
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