Disney's latest foray into its animated vault has triggered a wave of intense criticism from fans, with the announcement of a live-action film focused on the villain Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.
The Villain's Return: Project Details and Creative Team
According to reports from Deadline, the project is in its early stages of development. The studio has attached Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings writer Dave Callaham to pen the screenplay, with Michelle Rejwan on board to produce. While the tone is suggested to be 'swashbuckling', specific plot details for the Gaston-centric movie are being kept tightly under wraps.
This new film is not connected to the previously cancelled Gaston–LeFou Disney+ prequel series, which would have seen Luke Evans and Josh Gad return to their roles. Evans originally portrayed the live-action Gaston in Disney's 2017 remake, which starred Emma Watson and Dan Stevens and became a box office phenomenon, earning over $1.26 billion globally and securing two Oscar nominations.
A Sati re of Toxic Masculinity: Who Is Gaston?
Gaston first appeared in Disney's beloved 1991 animated classic, itself based on an 18th-century French fairy tale. Voiced by Richard White, the character was less a magical foe and more a satirical portrait of small-town entitlement and toxic masculinity.
As the celebrated hunter of his village, Gaston's obsession with Belle and his violent determination to kill the Beast after his marriage proposal is rejected made him a uniquely human antagonist with no tragic backstory or redemption arc.
Fan Fury: 'Another Pointless Cashgrab'
The online reaction to the announcement has been overwhelmingly negative, with many fans questioning Disney's creative direction and labelling the move a transparent attempt to mine nostalgia.
One user, @DynamoSuperX, wrote: 'another pointless live-action cashgrab and somehow I’m more irritated at the fact they picked this mf of all disney villains... but who tf pulling up to see gaston?!' The sentiment was echoed widely, with @TrialXtreme stating bluntly: 'Literally noone asked for this.'
Criticism also focused on the specific choice of villain. User @Ian_Fisch argued: 'There are Disney villains that probably had interesting backstories: Jafar or Claude Frollo. They should do one of those instead'. Others, like @digital_tomato, pleaded with the studio to 'Make new stories Disney!'
The key question now is whether Disney will lean into the character's inherent darkness or attempt to soften his edges for a broader audience. For now, the fierce backlash underscores a growing audience fatigue, challenging the studio on whether nostalgia alone is enough to sustain its future slate of live-action remakes and spin-offs.
