Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Becomes Fastest-Selling Family Film in History

Fandango managing editor Erik Davis tells Mashable.com today that Disney's highly-anticipated live-action BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has already surpassed "Finding Dory" in ticket pre-sales, and is now the fastest-selling family film in history.

The online ticket retailer editor shares, "With hundreds of showtimes already sold out, it's clear Disney is poised to have another hit on its hands with the new live-action Beauty and the Beast. Its presales rival that of a superhero movie, with it outpacing films like Captain America: Civil War at the same point in the sales cycle, two weekends prior to release. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is already looking to be bigger than other live-action Disney adaptations like The Jungle Book, Cinderella, and Maleficent, and it's currently the fastest-selling family film in Fandango history, topping previous record-holder Finding Dory. Needless to say, it's going to be a beast at the box office."

Finding Dory opened to $135 million last June and earned $1 billion during its run in theaters. As of now, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is projected to become the third-highest March premiere ever, behind The Hunger Games ($152.5 million) and Disney's Alice in Wonderland ($116 million). The movie is also expected to surpass the $120 million at the box office.

Disney's highly anticipated live-action film hits theaters on March 17th and is a live-action re-telling of the studio's animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs. "Beauty and the Beast" is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winnerKevin Kline as Maurice, BELLE'S eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston's long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon based on the 1991 animated film, "Beauty and the Beast" is produced by Mandeville Films' David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, with eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the 1991 animated film, providing the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as several new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winnerTim Rice.

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studios