Record-Breaking Opening Weekend Projected for Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Deadline reports that the three-day opening weekend of Disney's live-action BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is on track to earn $100 million at the box office, with some sources estimating the film will take in over $120 million. The predicted results continue the studio's success in adapting beloved animated classics to live-action reboots.

The trend began back in March of 2010 when the Tim Burton-helmed ALICE IN WONDERLAND opened to $116.1 million, ultimately earning a whopping $334.1 million at the box office and becoming March's third highest opening of all-time. According to Deadline, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, will most likely surpass that record. Currently Warner Bros.' Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice holds the opening record for March at $166 million, followed by The Hunger Games with $152.5 million in 2012.

This week, the film's cast and creative team launched a worldwide press tour in Paris. Watch the press conference HERE.

Disney's highly anticipated live-action film hits theaters on March 17th. The fillm 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.

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios