Beauty and the Beast: 1991 vs 2017 Cast, Lyrics, Plot

Disney’s 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast earned a rare perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and became the first animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. When the studio released a live-action remake in 2017, fans immediately noticed how the new version stretched the original story — adding backstories, extending songs, and reshaping key characters. The 2017 film went on to gross $1.27 billion worldwide, proving the tale still resonates decades later.

1991 Release Director: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise · 2017 Film Type: Live-action remake · Original Tale Basis: Fairy tale adaptation · Top Song Artists 2017: Ariana Grande, John Legend · IMDb Entry 2017: tt2771200

Beauty and the Beast lyrics

The title song “Beauty and the Beast” (Tale as Old as Time) appears in both the 1991 animated film and the 2017 live-action remake, with lyrics that remain nearly identical across versions. The famous refrain — “Tale as old as time, true as it can be” — carries through without substantial changes, though the emotional weight shifts slightly with updated vocal performances.

Song from 2017 version

The 2017 version of “Beauty and the Beast” is performed during the film by Mrs. Potts (voiced by Emma Thompson) as she sings to Belle (Emma Watson) and the Beast (Dan Stevens). This scene replicates the emotional core of the original while utilizing live-action production techniques to bring the enchanted objects to life more concretely than animation allowed in 1991. The end-credits version pairs Ariana Grande with John Legend, giving the song a contemporary pop interpretation distinct from Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson’s 1991 rendition.

Ariana Grande and John Legend performance

The 2017 end-credits single features Ariana Grande and John Legend delivering a studio-produced version of the classic ballad. A side-by-side music video comparison exists that lets viewers toggle between the 1991 Dion-Bryson performance and the 2017 Grande-Legend version, highlighting the vocal styling differences and updated instrumentation across the two eras.

Bottom line: Emma Watson’s Belle anchors the 2017 film’s emotional resonance while Ariana Grande and John Legend’s pop rendition gives the title song modern reach that extends its audience beyond the traditional musical theater fanbase.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

The 2017 live-action Beauty and the Beast runs significantly longer than its 1991 predecessor, allowing expanded character backstories and new musical numbers that were absent from the animated original. Directed by Bill Condon, this version reimagines the fairy tale with updated visual effects and a notably different approach to several key characters.

Plot summary

Like the 1991 version, the 2017 film follows Belle as she takes her father’s place as a prisoner in the Beast’s castle, eventually falling love with him and breaking the enchantress’s curse. However, the 2017 version introduces Belle with a backstory involving her mother’s death and her father’s invention — a backstory that explains why the family relocated to the provincial town and adds emotional depth absent from the earlier film. Additionally, the 2017 Prince appears on screen before his transformation, a significant departure from the original animated version where viewers only meet the Beast directly.

Cast list

The 2017 cast brings together Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, and Emma Thompson voicing Mrs. Potts. Ian McKellen provides the voice of Cogsworth, while Luke Evans portrays the villainous Gaston. According to IMDb (tt2771200), the ensemble includes Josh Gad as LeFou, Kevin Kline as Maurice, and Ewan McGregor as Lumière, among others.

Production details

Bill Condon directed the 2017 remake, departing from the 1991 animation duo of Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. The film introduces several new songs not present in the 1991 version, and Dan Stevens was 34 years old during filming — notably, the 2017 version omits the 1991 detail specifying the Beast’s enchantment would last until his 21st year, leaving his age ambiguous throughout the story.

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

The 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast set a benchmark for Disney animation, earning critical acclaim that persists decades later. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, with screenplay by Linda Woolverton, this version of the tale established several character archetypes that the 2017 remake would later adapt and expand.

Animation details

The 1991 film uses traditional hand-drawn animation techniques, bringing the enchanted castle and its objects to life through Disney’s signature style. The film format is animated musical fantasy, contrasting with the 2017 live-action approach that relies on CGI enhancements to achieve similar visual effects.

Voice cast

The original animated film features Paige O’Hara as Belle’s voice performance and Robie Lester as the Beast. The enchanted objects include Lumiere (voiced by Jerry Orbach), Cogsworth (voiced by David Ogden Stiers), Mrs. Potts (voiced by Angela Lansbury), and Chip (voiced by a series of child actors). These performances set the standard against which live-action voice work would later be measured.

Awards

The 1991 animated film achieved significant recognition, including becoming the first animated feature ever nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards — a milestone that highlighted the film’s crossover appeal and artistic merit. Some critics and fans regard the 1991 animated version as Disney’s best animated movie, though this assessment represents a subjective opinion rather than a verifiable fact.

“The animated Beauty and the Beast is a classic and holds the reputation as Disney’s BEST animated movie.”

— YouTube Review

Beauty and the Beast cast

The cast of Beauty and the Beast differs substantially between the 1991 animated film and the 2017 live-action version, with voice roles replaced by live performances and several supporting characters expanded or recontextualized across the two adaptations.

2017 live-action cast

• Belle: Emma Watson
• Beast: Dan Stevens
• Mrs. Potts: Emma Thompson (voice)
• Cogsworth: Ian McKellen (voice)
• Lumière: Ewan McGregor (voice)
• Gaston: Luke Evans
• LeFou: Josh Gad
• Maurice: Kevin Kline

1991 voice cast

• Belle: Paige O’Hara
• Beast: Robie Lester
• Lumière: Jerry Orbach
• Cogsworth: David Ogden Stiers
• Mrs. Potts: Angela Lansbury

The 2017 film expands roles for characters like Madame Garderobe and Plumette while introducing Maestro Cadenza — additions that give the enchanted objects more narrative weight than they received in 1991. However, some argue that Cogsworth’s role feels overlooked in 2017 despite Ian McKellen’s casting, compared to David Ogden Stiers’ more prominent comedic work in the animated original.

Beauty and the Beast 2015

The reference to “Beauty and the Beast 2015” appears in search queries and online discussions, but no major theatrical release or documented adaptation carries that specific date designation. This likely reflects confusion or misremembering rather than a distinct production.

Context of 2015 reference

Disney announced the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake in 2015, which may explain the association. Development discussions, casting announcements, and pre-production work would have occurred throughout 2015 ahead of the 2017 release, potentially creating confusion about a “2015 version” among casual observers.

Related adaptations

Rather than a separate 2015 film, audiences may be conflating the remake’s development timeline with other Beauty and the Beast media, such as stage musical adaptations or fan-created content. The distinction matters because the two clearly documented versions remain the 1991 animated original and the 2017 live-action remake.

Timeline

• 1991: Animated film release — Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, screenplay by Linda Woolverton. First animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
• 2015: Disney announces development of live-action remake
• 2017: Live-action remake release — Directed by Bill Condon, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Grossed $1.27 billion worldwide.
• March 28, 2017: Blog posts analyzing character changes between versions published

Confirmed vs Rumor

“This live-action remake is almost a carbon copy of the animated movie.”

— The Movie Elite

Summary

Disney’s decision to remake Beauty and the Beast in live-action format paid off commercially — the 2017 film grossed $1.27 billion worldwide — but the adaptation also sparked ongoing debate about whether the expansion of character backstories and longer runtime improved upon or diluted the original’s magic. The 1991 version’s explicit 21st-year deadline for the Beast’s enchantment created clear narrative stakes, while the 2017 remake’s omission of this detail shifts the emotional tension toward Belle’s personal quest for understanding her past. For longtime fans, the choice between versions often comes down to whether they value the expanded scope and modern performances of the remake or the tighter, more contained storytelling of the animated classic. Emma Watson’s casting as Belle ensured the 2017 remake attracted a generation of viewers who had grown up with the actress since her Harry Potter years, cementing the film’s crossover appeal beyond traditional Disney audiences.

Related reading: Back to the Future cast

In comparing the ensembles, the 2017 remake boasts Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast, with a detailed 2017 cast breakdown spotlighting key supporting roles too.

Frequently asked questions